Dr. Michael Rich went from being a script doctor in Hollywood to a medical doctor - a pediatrician to be precise - who studies how media affect kids. He's taking an innovative approach to violent media. Instead of waiting for official government mandates, he's declared violent media - videogames, television and movies - to be public health threats in and of themselves.
The average child is exposed to 8 to 10 hours of media per day, and Dr. Rich says that exposure results in higher rates of obesity, drug abuse, violent behaviors and even sexually transmitted diseases.
Dr. Michael Rich is here to talk with us today about his mission.
GUEST
Dr. Michael Rich, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He's one of the founders of the Center on Media and Child Health at the Children's Hospital Boston.
