Media Smart Criteria
A Family Guide to What's on TV and Online

Program Selection Process
CCI/Crosby Publishing, with 15 years experience selecting educational and pro-social media for inclusion in Cable in the Classroom and other publications, utilizes an experienced team of editors to select age-appropriate, pro-social programs and web sites based upon the best information provided by cable networks by our deadlines. In deciding which shows and web sites to list in the Media Smart newsletter, we sort through hundreds of program descriptions with TV ratings, visit web sites, and apply the following criteria.

Program selection criteria:

• include only programs with TV ratings TV-Y, TV-G, and TV-PG
• preference given to programs that facilitate learning and pro-social values
• programs rated FV, V, D, and S only selected if redeeming social value outweighs content concerns
• seek programs suitable for viewing by most children and that could be viewed by entire families
• include programs airing in family viewing hours (weekday afternoons and early evenings, weekends, and weekday mornings for preschool)

Web resource selection criteria:

• recommend specific areas of web sites that are suitable for most children
• seek sites that contain developmentally appropriate pro-social and/or educational content, themes, and activities for their intended audience

Note:
Neither Cable in the Classroom, the National PTA, nor CCI/Crosby Publishing can guarantee that no content deemed offensive by an individual or group will ever be selected for inclusion in the Media Smart newsletter, nor are they in any way responsible for advertisements or links in programs and web sites selected for inclusion in the newsletter. Learning media literacy skills and making choices that align with your family’s values remain the best way to manage media use and exposure to media content by children.