In a momumental step for childhood obesity, the Disney channel has decided to ban all junk food ads from sponsoring it’s programming.
The move comes as one of the first for a major media company as it intends to ban such ads from it’s TV channels, radio stations and websites. In an effort for the station to promote fruits and vegetables rather than sodium and saturated fat, Disney has said that advertisers must meet a certain criteria. Under their guidelines a complete meal can have no more than 600 calories and a side dish of no more than 200 calories.
First Lady Michelle Obama applauds the initiative saying, “With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the U.S. — and what I hope every company will do going forward.”
This is a huge step. I imagine that children’s programming make up a great deal of money for both the advertisers and the programming itself since many children are prone to want make unhealthy food choices.
Margo Wootan, nutrition policy director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, believes that this puts pressure on other networks, such as Cartoon Network and Nickolodeon to do the same.
The company also introduced the “Mickey Check” seal of approval for nutritious foods sold in stores, online and at its parks and resorts. The guidelines for new sponsors will go into effect in 2015.
It is so interesting that Disney is banning junkfood ads when Disney is responsible for the success of the number 1 junk food killer. Disney worked with McDonalds during their inception to become the corporate giants they are today. So their attempts to scale back now after all the damage has been done is laughable.