Psychologist warns of "educational television" myth

By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - He's been characterised as the ultimate killjoy, the extremist fringe thinker who refuses to recognise the realities of modern life.

But for Dr Aric Sigman, an American psychologist living in Britain and the author of "Remotely controlled; How Television is Damaging Our Lives", the battle against what he calls the "recreational junk food" of TV is one well worth fighting.

And as the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) announced on Tuesday the launch of the nation's first ever television quiz show for pre-school children, Sigman's frustration with TV executives who claim to entertain and educate is growing.

"Television-makers will always justify themselves by saying that children enjoy their programmes," Sigman told Reuters in an interview. "They say they make children smile and laugh."

"But children will also smile if you give them cocaine. The argument that children enjoy something or laugh at something is not the basis on which you decide what is good for them."

The BBC's new show, "Kerwhizz", which it describes as a "new breakthrough multi-platform entertainment format" aimed at 4- to 6-year-olds is a perfect example, says Sigman, of another common claim by television makers: Our programmes are educational.

"The phrase 'educational television' was, of course, invented by people who make television," he says. "To me it's an oxymoron".

According to Sigman, who bases his assertions on studies published by medics from some of America's leading universities as well as his own worldwide research, science now suggests the quality of television children watch is of little consequence.