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'TV adverts are robbing our children of their innocence'
Nicholas Cecil and Paul Waugh11 Sep 2008
Britain is failing to protect children's innocence and allowing toddlers to be bombarded by TV advertising, Nick Clegg warned today.
The Liberal Democrat leader, who is due to become a father for a third time, believes it is time to seriously consider a ban on adverts on TV during programmes for young children.
"I have, as a father, become acutely aware of the commercial pressures on my children," Mr Clegg told the Evening Standard.
"There is a channel of cartoons (Tiny Pop) that my children watch in which they are bombarded by advertising every 15 minutes. I don't like it.
"I'm increasingly, as a father and politician, thinking we have not got the balance right."
Mr Clegg, 41, and his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, who have two boys, aged four and six, are expecting their third child in February. But the couple are adamant that they will keep their children out of the public eye.
"For me, as a father, and an absolutely besotted father of two lovely little boys, and Miriam, as a very devoted mother to them, we just took the decision that their innocence was best protected by not holding any hostages to fortune by making [them] public," said Mr Clegg.
However, he stressed he was not criticising David and Samantha Cameron who earlier this year allowed a TV crew into their London home to film their family morning routine including their three children. "I'm not going to start being judgmental", he said.
The Lib-Dem leader argued there was a failure to properly "nurture" children in Britain.
"We fail to protect thousands of children - either by not giving them support when they need it or by almost wilfully pushing them into the criminal justice system," he said.
"We don't protect children's innocence, and protect their vulnerability and then what happens we become adults and we are treated like children again, we are spied on, we are checked and monitored.
"I want to live in a society where we nurture and protect that innocence of children, particularly those crucial years where people's potential, talents and selfconfidence really takes shape."
Reader views (4)
It's not just TV though is it? It is impossible to protect our kids from the never ending advertising
that promotes sex and money. A sample of 7 foot poster adverts seen at my local bus stop-a near naked Billie Piper advertising the Secret Diary of a Call Girl. A poster advertising a strip club with a near naked woman. Oh, and the board next to the tube had a poster advertising a porn mag. Nice.
- Ted, london UK, 12/09/2008 08:11
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TV should not be used as a free baby sitting service and as children should only be watching about 1 hour of TV a day, your sons may not only be getting an advert overload but also a mindless stimulation overload.
Also, when you are looking for presents from Santa or presents for birthday and your child leaves you lacking in ideas, will you be signing the same song?
- Maria Walsh, London, 11/09/2008 16:45
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Do parents take responsibility for NOTHING any more? Toddlers shouldn't be spending time in front of the telly full stop. If you can't make time for your kids - don't have any!
- Marianne, SW France, 11/09/2008 16:14
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TV adverts are robbing our children of nothing. Allowing our children unsupervised endless time infront of the TV is the problem. If you don't like ads on children's channels the BBC offer 2 commercial free channels otherwise DVDs are always an option. It's down to the parents.
- Jane Bewick, London, 11/09/2008 12:51
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