Tips for Picking Good TV Shows

What's the difference between good TV and the bad stuff? Kids' TV expert Karen Jaffe says there are five questions parents should ask before their kids pick up the remote:

Value:
Is the message a valuable one -- one that is important and beneficial for the target audience? You know your child and his/her taste. Make recommendations that are consistent with these interests. You can match up genres like science fiction or history or even sports. If your child is a bibliophile, look for shows with literary connections. Then consider whether the objective of the show is worthwhile.

Clarity:
Is the message clearly laid out so that it can be easily comprehended by the target audience? Make sure that the show is appropriate for the age of your child. If the material is age-appropriate, the language and subjects should be clearly understood. Then check to see if the information is presented effectively. Sometimes the format of the show will dictate whether your child can pick up the messages. Magazine-style shows usually include many different stories with separate lessons for each one. Some children will be challenged by too much information while others will thrive on the diversity. Some children will be enchanted by a drama, others fascinated by a documentary.

Salience:
Is the message consistently conveyed and/or an integral element of the program as a whole? There are two ways to look at issue. If you are only interested in exposing your child to an educational show that is specifically designed to inform, then the main thrust of the show -- the premise -- should have a message that is developed and resolved at the conclusion of the program or series. This is different from a show that is developed primarily for entertainment but which carries educational messages as a sidebar or, as they say in Hollywood, as the secondary story line. These are often important lessons -- but they're clearly ancillary to the main topic of the program.

Another example of educational "nuggets" are shows that embed a lesson at the end of the show or even as a short message after the conclusion of the show. With guidance, parents can reinforce these "secondary" lessons and turn these briefer programming messages into an instructional experience.

Involvement:
Is the message presented in such a way that it is engaging and challenging for the target audience? Some shows have terrific content that falls flat in the presentation. Again, some of this depends on your child's response to the material. An animated science lesson will work for some children, while the live-action version makes sense to others. However, the show won't work at all if the format does not present the information in an entertaining manner.

Relevance:
Is the message conveyed in such a way that the target audience can see its usefulness in his/her own life? This is perhaps the most important criteria for parents who want to make television an enriching experience. It's also the most global in scope. A newscast or newsmagazine or even a talk show (which you have determined is age-appropriate) can provide valuable information and place issues affecting your child's life and community in perspective. Any lesson offered in a program designed for kids should be relevant to the child. Even certain sitcoms can do this if an adult is there to help make the connection.

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