Kids Rule! Nickelodeon and Consumer Citizenship (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Kids Rule! Nickelodeon and Consumer Citizenship Nicole Wilson (bio) Kids Rule! Nickelodeon and Consumer Citizenship. By Sarah Banet-Weiser. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2007. Throughout Kids Rule! Nickelodeon and Consumer Citizenship, Sarah Banet-Weiser examines oppositional relationships: children versus adults; education versus entertainment; Nickelodeon versus broadcast television; and philosophy versus profit margin. Banet-Weiser uses a cultural studies approach to argue her position on children and media while completing a historical analysis of Nickelodeon. Her approach resonates with literary analysis, as she purposefully tries to get away from conventional media studies. In her introduction Banet- Weiser explains the disconcerting nature of considering children as consumer citizens; therefore, in the text she investigates the ideas of both citizenship and consumption and examines the ways in which both scholars and parents “confuse political citizenship and economic enfranchisement” (6). She realizes that she has to reconcile the ideas of political citizenship with consumer citizenship and does so by saying all citizenship has a history involving innate freedoms and liberties. She realizes that children are outside of the political sphere, but she maintains that they hold a large influence over the consumerism sphere. Banet-Weiser argues that children in the United States experience varying relationships with media. Some need to be protected from the media, others are savvy users, others consume media, and still others are “media citizens” (11). The problem with these varying relationships in culture is that each child has a different level of empowerment, which leads to political considerations. Considering these complications, Banet-Weiser narrows her focus, examines the definition of citizenship, and argues “for a redefinition of citizenship as a category of analysis that accounts for an interrelationship of children as an audience of consumers, and as members of an economically stratified community” (12). In chapter 2 Banet-Weiser begins her history of the Nickelodeon network as a kids-only zone, detailing the early philosophy of the channel and the leadership’s goal of creating a place for kids to be kids—a place where they will not be forced to learn but instead can be entertained primarily. She explains that while Nickelodeon started during the Media Reform broadcast era, its non-toy-based programming lineup had less to do with protecting children from advertising and more to do with creating brand loyalty. The goal of Nickelodeon is to be a home for children; Nickelodeon wants kids to see the network as the safe place to hang out, as a special place created solely for them. In chapter 3 Banet-Weiser introduces the ideologically complex issue of both wanting to protect children from media and acknowledging that children are often more savvy media users than adults. This chapter follows Althusserian logic in that it investigates the relationship between ideology, economics, and politics. Nickelodeon’s goal is to empower children while giving them a place of their own; therefore, Banet-Weiser argues that [End Page 334] Nickelodeon must provide advertising that instead of taking advantage of children’s consumerism respects their position as media-savvy consumer citizens. While Nickelodeon strives to be a place on television for children, it realizes that in order to truly create a “Nickelodeon Nation” they must have a presence away from the television and in other media. This presence not only creates a political citizenship but also an economic expectation. In chapters 4 and 5 Banet-Weiser uses a postmodern approach to investigate the issues of gender and race within Nickelodeon programming. Nickelodeon’s desire to make a safe haven for children requires additional consideration of gender and race. Nickelodeon is trying to establish a new norm for children’s television. In regard to gender it wants kids to assume that gender is not an issue on television because it is always represents both accurately and fairly. Banet-Weiser highlights two series, Clarissa Explains It All and As Told by Ginger, as examples of shows that allow strong female characters to be central to the storyline. However, while Nickelodeon is working to create “girl power,” it also claims to be “gender neutral” (141). Considering race, Banet-Weiser goes against her claim that Nickelodeon avoids educational moments when she argues that it strives to...