CHILDREN FORSAKE TUBE FOR COMPUTERS
By Adnews Staff
Children in the U.S. are turning off their TV sets to use their home computers, according to a U.S. study done by Find/SVP and Grunwald Associates, both of New York. Nearly two-thirds of family PC households reported that their children watch less TV as a direct result of using a PC. This number rises to almost three-quarters of households when they own a multimedia PC with a CD-ROM. Up until the seventh grade girls spend more time on computers than boys. Mothers are as likely as fathers to use PCs at home and are involved in deciding which one to buy. Women in 33% of PC households say they use the computers for activities that include running home businesses, keeping track of household budgets, personal learning, online searching and volunteer work. Thirty-two per cent of males use home PCs, primarily for work. About 40% of the time children use computers they are playing games, but the machines are also used for homework and exploring. About 12% of PC households use online services. Brothers and sisters do activities together on home PCs in 45% of the homes, and nearly a third of all households say family members use PCs at other peoples' homes. The study also found that children who use online services are more likely to be involved in sports, outside activities, volunteer activities and private lessons such as music or dance.