08.12.2009

Media education in Finnish families

The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority's (FICORA) follow-up survey examined parents' knowledge about the watersheds and age ratings of television programmes deemed harmful for children. In addition, the survey explored parents' views on their children's media relations, families' media education practises and attitudes behind the practises.

The most important medium in the regulation of programmes that are deemed harmful for children, namely the watersheds concerning the broadcasting times of programmes, is spontaneously least known among the parents. Age ratings are best known whereas the announcements preceding the programmes and watersheds are remembered less often.

When protection methods were listed to parents, they remembered the 15 and 18 age restriction ratings the best.

Of children's media relations, parents highlighted the great amount of time their children spend on media as well as the management of their time. In particular, parents maintained that the time spent on electronic media was time lost from communication in real-life situations. Parents named that the advantage of online communications is that it is easy to keep in touch with their children, as well as learning new things on the internet.

Parents who most frequently restrict their children's use of the media, follow actively what their children watch on TV, what they play and what websites they visit. In addition, they apply various restriction methods to their children's use of the media. For them, media education is part of their consistent education responsibilities. Parents who least often restrict their children's use of the media, highlight the restriction of the time their children spend in front of the computer, in particular. Their attitudes are characterized by tendency to self-indulgence i.e. they look at things case-by- case.

FICORA maintains that TV operators, as part of self-regulation, increase communication to parents on how to protect children from harmful television programmes. TV operators have been requested to submit information on the content and timetable of the planned procedures.

Media education in Finnish families in 2009 - survey publication [PDF, 324 KB] (in Finnish)

Letter to TV operators on the protection of minors [PDF, 11 KB] (in Finnish)

Further information:

Tiina Aaltonen, Development Manager, tel. +358 9 6996 430, +358 40 777 4082
Merja Saari, Deputy Director, tel. +358 9 6966 468, +358 50 386 1771