62 MCV528_final:47 MCV443
10/3/09
15:05
Page 1
62 MCV 13/03/09
WWW.MCVUK.COM
MCV FORUM
A weighty issue The Change4Life campaign’s implication that games cause unhealthy lifestyles continues to raise ire. Here, one industry PR argues for more common sense when it comes to issues over making kids active… Dear MCV, Great to see you taking a stand against the Change4Life ad. But I think the issue is bigger (just like the majority of the UK’s kids) than just games. Two points: 1. Yes, games are muchmaligned and an easy target for governments (worldwide) and lazy, sensationalist ad agencies and media. Yes, it’s annoying and no we shouldn’t take it lying down. Does the media blame YouTube for childhood obesity? Of course not, yet my guess is that children spend more time on the internet than they do playing video games. Even McDonald’s has the nerve to blame video games for falling sales and the increase in childhood obesity. I think ELSPA and Tiga should be spending more more time, money and effort – aside from lobbying a government which couldn’t care less – to run their own campaign. They could highlight the development talent here in the UK and excellent careers on offer, our ‘box office hits’ and the obvious economic upsides to employing several thousand people across development, publishing and associated businesses. The Games Up campaign instigated relationships between developers and politicians, so it’s incumbent on studios to stand up and make themselves heard and understood by their local MPs, fellow businessmen, media and educators.
The Change4Life campaign rightly argues that children should lead more active lifestyles – but that doesn’t necessarily mean the argument needs to also imply that games are contributing to a situation where junk food and lack of physical activities are prevalent, says one reader
2. In regards to the campaign itself, I caught sight of it in January and considered complaining long before the joypad ad appeared. The campaign is well intentioned, but seriously flawed. It’s incredibly
“
hour of PE lessons per week at school? I find this really shocking. Most kids get driven to school even though over half the journeys are less than two miles – easily walkable. The campaign’s website and ads also state quite rightly that
ELSPA and Tiga should run their own campaign highlighting the successes of our industry.
patronising and seems to be aimed at the uneducated and the stupid. However, it does raise some valid points. It recommends kids take 60 minutes of exercise per day. Did you know that most children only receive one
Alison Beasley
”
junk food is a problem. Surely it’s obvious that a burger and fries is more deadly than a few rounds of any first person shooter. Yet local councils allow a staggering number of fast food outlets to open their shabby shops on our High
Streets, housing estates and out of town retail parks. At risk of sounding like a dinosaur, when I was at school the ‘fat kid’ was just that, the one fat kid in school. That’s simply not the case any more – they are the norm not the exception. Childhood obesity is a serious problem – a whole generation is growing up (and out). As parents we should care about this campaign and its intentions – we should take responsibility as part of society, not just when it affects our industry. By all means we must fight against the misrepresentation of our industry but we should also be fighting the deluge of junk food outlets; fighting for more PE in schools and fighting the laziness and stupidity of
parents who allow their children to become obese. Rant over! Alison Beasley, Lincoln Beasley PR
LATEST NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE Bookmark us in your phone:
MOBILE.MCVUK.COM