Disney made a nice step towards helping with childhood obesity. In the future, when a child watches the Disney channel and any Disney affiliated channel, there won't be commercials focusing on unhealthy foods. They plan to regulate advertisers to a set of strict nutritional guidelines preventing it.
By 2015 the company will only allow advertisements of healthy products on its child geared tv channels, radio stations and websites. Advertisements like Kraft Lunchables and Capri Sun beverages will no longer be allowed to advertise. Any fast foods, sugary cereals, and candy will also get the boot.
Disney is also planning on cutting the sodium in their theme park food by 25%. They will fund public service announcements that advertise healthy eating and exercise.
"Disney is doing what no other media company in the U.S. has never done before.", stated the First Lady Michelle Obama. She also hopes that other companies will do the same thing going forward into the future.
There's some doubt that the new initiative will go over well with parents. Also that some people might feel that Disney is overstepping its bounds and is trying to tell parents how to raise their children. They will probably lose money in advertising initially but expect to gain it back in other areas. Disney's chairman, Robert A. Iger, assures that the move isn't altruistic and believes that any company that can, should make such a move in an attempt to help with childhood obesity.
No comments:
Post a Comment