Promoting Nutrition, Disney to Restrict Junk-Food Ads

[alp227]

Source: NY Times

The Walt Disney Company, in an effort to address concerns about entertainment’s role in childhood obesity, plans to announce on Tuesday that all products advertised on its child-focused television channels, radio stations and Web sites must comply with a strict new set of nutritional standards.

The restrictions on ads extend to Saturday-morning cartoons on ABC stations owned by Disney. Under the new rules, products like Capri Sun drinks and Kraft Lunchables meals — both current Disney advertisers — along with a wide range of candy, sugared cereal and fast food, will no longer be acceptable advertising material.

The initiative, which Disney plans to detail Tuesday at a Washington news conference with the first lady, Michelle Obama, stretches into other areas. For instance, Disney will reduce the amount of sodium by 25 percent in the 12 million children’s meals served annually at its theme parks, and create what it calls fun public service announcements promoting child exercise and healthy eating.

The move follows the announcement last week of a plan by New York City to ban the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinks amid increasing concern about childhood obesity in America.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/business/media/in-nutrition-initiative-disney-to-restrict-advertising.html?pagewanted=all

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Drudge: "Michelle Obama censored candy commercials from the Disney Channel"
The Blaze: "Will fast-food ads disappear from ESPN?" (The Disney company also owns sports cable channel ESPN.)

[woodsprite]

1. Will they move McD's fries out of WDW?

That would be great!

Most of their meals/snacks were very good when we were there 2 yrs ago, but lo and behold - McD's had popped up a small station near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. We bought their meal plan and were very pleased. One of their counter service fast food choices we had was steamed salmon or grilled chicken w/ greenbeans, roasted potatoes, a cookie or brownie and drink. Portions were appropriate sizes. I was really happy with the choices. The fresh fruit platter w/ yogurt was a great mid-day pick-me-up for our small family. Fresh fruit, ice cream, frozen fruit/yogurt bars, popcorn as snacks and PLENTY of places to buy water or refill water bottles. Now, I will say they're going to have to scale back their dessert portions at the major restaurants. One was plenty for all 4 of us (at the time 2 adults, a 17yo and a 10yo) and a dessert was included with each of your meals, so we had some meal points that were 'extras'. The last day we used them to stock up on bottled waters for the trip home.

[JDPriestly]

2. Great news!

[surrealAmerican]

3. Smart move on their part.

This sure beats the negative publicity they would be getting were they to wait for some sort of state or federal standards to highlight just how bad the stuff they're selling is.

Of course, their standards are not all that "strict": parents still won't be able to trust their advertising.

[handmade34]

4. Thank you Michelle Obama

for being a great role model and working to help make this happen... none too soon