Action for Children's Television facts for kids

Action for Children's Television (ACT) was a group started in 1968 by Peggy Charren, Lillian Ambrosino, Evelyn Kaye Sarson, and Judy Chalfen. It began in Newton, Massachusetts, USA. ACT was a nonprofit group that worked to help children. They wanted to make television better for kids.

ACT's main goals were to bring more variety to kids' TV shows. They also wanted to reduce the number of commercials during children's programs. Another important goal was to stop ads that might trick young viewers. At its peak in the mid-1980s, ACT had up to 20,000 volunteers and eight staff members. Their yearly budget was about $225,000. Most of their money came from members. The rest came from grants and selling books or giving talks. ACT closed down in 1992.

What Was Action for Children's Television?

Action for Children's Television, or ACT, was an advocacy group. This means they worked to support and protect children's interests. They focused on what kids watched on TV. The group believed that television could be a great tool for learning. But they also thought it needed to be safer and more educational.

ACT was a "grassroots" organization. This means it started with ordinary people, not big companies or governments. It was a nonprofit group. This means they used all their money to help their cause, not to make a profit.

Why Was ACT Started?

ACT was founded because its creators felt that children's TV shows needed to improve. They saw too many commercials and not enough good content. They wanted TV to offer more than just cartoons. They hoped for shows that could teach and inspire young minds.

Goals for Better TV

ACT had three main goals for children's television:

• They wanted more different kinds of shows for kids. This meant not just one type of program, but a wide range.
• They aimed to reduce how many commercials were shown during kids' programs. They felt too many ads interrupted the shows.
• They worked to stop ads that were misleading or unfair to children. These ads might make kids want things they didn't need.

How ACT Worked for Change

ACT used several ways to try and change children's television. They often got attention from the news and media. This helped them share their message with many people. They also ran campaigns where they asked people to write letters. These letters went to TV stations and lawmakers.

Getting Support and Funding

ACT relied on many volunteers to help with their work. These volunteers were people who cared about children's TV. The group also got money from its members. This showed that many people supported their mission. They also received grants from foundations, like the Markle Foundation. This extra money helped them run their campaigns.

The End of ACT

After many years of working for change, ACT faced financial challenges. Their budget became smaller, and they had fewer staff members. Eventually, in 1992, Action for Children's Television closed down. Even though it no longer exists, ACT helped bring important changes to children's television.