Television Review: Nick News with Linda Ellerbee
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this award-winning news program
for older school-aged kids and adolescents covers tough issues
like the Iraq wars, the aftermath of September 11, the
Columbine tragedy, and Hurricane Katrina. Multiple perspectives
are raised during host Linda Ellerbee's facilitated discussion.
For younger or more-sensitive viewers, parents need to be
prepared to discuss the issues, answer questions, and perhaps
skip episodes that are too sad or difficult to understand.
Families can talk about the discussions raised by the program.
Watching this show is no replacement for meaningful
parent-child conversations about these hard topics. Questions
will be raised that the show doesn't cover, and parents may
need to ask kids questions to make sure they understand why
these issues are important.
Geared for teens and tweens interested in world events, NICK NEWS WITH LINDA ELLERBEE helps kids make sense of world events by presenting them in kid-friendly, understandable language. Host Linda Ellerbee tackles big topics like war in Iraq, AIDS, the O.J. Simpson trial, as well as other important issues that are very relatable to this age: bullying, divorce, learning and mental disorders, body image, and homelessness. Sitting cross-legged with a group of school-aged boys and girls of all races, Ellerbee presents an issue and then asks questions about how the kids would react in this situation. Then she'll present a different perspective and give the kids time to think about and change their responses. Nick News also features exposés on specific events, projects, or problems related to the theme of the episode, such as recycling and the environmental hazards of non-recyclable products.
Nick News has been on the air since 1992 and has won Emmy, Peabody, and Columbia duPont awards and been endorsed by the National Education Association. There's no debate over the benefits of kids learning about politics and their world. The only words of caution to parents would be to watch out for very serious topics that might be inappropriate for younger viewers. Nick News is intended for teens and tweens who have the maturity to hear about difficult topics.
What Matterspbskids.org/newsflashfive
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