The survey confirmed the outstanding importance of protecting minors in the media in Germany. An overwhelming majority of more than 90 percent of the population considers the protection of minors in the media important or even very important. By an equally clear majority, and even ahead of statutory regulation, Germans favour consistent media education to protect children and young people from possible negative influences of the media. In their view, parents in particular are called upon to act, alongside kindergartens, schools and the media themselves.
Further results of the ZDF Politbarometer survey will be presented at the fourth conference on protecting minors in the media, held on 10 and 11 April 2008 under the title “Protection of Minors in the Media 2.0 • New Media Worlds — New Challenges”. The event is being organised jointly by ARD, ZDF, the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church at the children’s media centre in Erfurt.
ZDF Director-General Markus Schächter sees the survey result as clear confirmation of his broadcaster’s work in the field: “ZDF has always regarded media literacy and education as a central element in protecting minors in the media. ZDF has not only continually introduced the subject of media education into discussions about media and social policy. It has also repeatedly undertaken and supported media-education measures itself. Examples include the KI.KA media package for media-education work in kindergartens and primary schools and our participation in ‘A Network for Children’. Last but not least, to give another example, as a partner in ‘LOOK! — An initiative to strengthen parents’ media skills’, ZDF has become an important and central source of guidance and contact for parents seeking advice on how their children deal with electronic media and its content,” Schächter said.
