SALT LAKE CITY — The theme of the 41st World Communications Day, "Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education," invites us to reflect on two related topics of importance. The formation of children, and the formation of the media. The Catholic Communication Campaign Collection will be held in the Diocese of Salt Lake May 20. The following message is from Pope Benedict XVI: The complex challenges facing education today are often linked to the pervasive influence of the media in our world. As an aspect of the phenomenon of globalization, facilitated by the rapid development of technology, the media profoundly shape the cultural environment (cf. Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter "The Rapid Development," #3). Indeed, some claim that the formative influence of the media rivals that of the school, the church, and the home. The relationship of children, media, and education can be considered from two perspectives: the formation of children by the media; and the formation of children to respond appropriately to the media. A kind of reciprocity emerges which points to the responsibilities of the media as an industry and to the need for active and critical participation of readers, viewers, and listeners. Educating children to be discriminating in their use of the media is a responsibility of parents, church, and school. The role of parents is of primary importance. They have a right and duty to ensure the prudent use of the media by training the conscience of their children to express sound and objective judgments which will then guide them in choosing or rejecting programs available (cf. Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris Consortio," #76). In doing so, parents should have the encouragement and assistance of schools and parishes in ensuring they are supported by the wider community. Media education should be positive. Children exposed to what is aesthetically and morally excellent are helped to develop appreciation, prudence and the skills of discernment. Here it is important to recognize the fundamental value of parents’ example and the benefits of introducing young people to children’s classics in literature, to the fine arts, and to uplifting music. Beauty, a kind of mirror of the divine, inspires and vivifies young hearts and minds, while ugliness and coarseness have a depressing impact on attitudes and behavior. Like education in general, media education requires formation in the exercise of freedom. So often freedom is presented as a relentless search for pleasure or new experiences. Yet this is a condemnation not a liberation! In the light of truth, authentic freedom is experienced as a definitive response to God’s ‘yes’ to humanity, calling us to choose, not indiscriminately, all that is good, true, and beautiful. The heartfelt wish of parents and teachers to educate children in the ways of beauty, truth, and goodness can be supported by the media industry only to the extent that it promotes fundamental human dignity, the true value of marriage and family life, and the positive achievements and goals of humanity. While affirming the belief that many people involved in social communications want to do what is right (cf. Pontifical Council for Social Communications, "Ethics in Communications," #4), we must also recognize that those who work in this field confront "special psychological pressures and ethical dilemmas" ("Aetatis Novae," #19), which at times see commercial competitiveness compelling communicators to lower standards. Any trend to produce programs and products, including animated films and video games, which in the name of entertainment exalt violence and portray anti-social behavior or the trivialization of human sexuality is a perversion. The church herself, in the light of the message of salvation entrusted to her, is also a teacher of humanity and welcomes the opportunity to offer assistance to parents, educators, communicators, and young people.
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