They have already started on obesity. It's like they don't want us to take responsibility for our own actions anymore.
Well, I sure don't need nanny government telling me at this point in my life, how to live it.
Posted on 01/19/2006 4:10:03 AM PST by SheLion
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A consumer group wants to keep Tony the Tiger from promoting sugary cereals on the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon show or anywhere else kids are watching.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest said on Wednesday it would sue Kellogg Co., the maker of cereals such as Frosted Flakes, and Viacom Inc., which runs the Nickelodeon cable network, if the companies do not change some marketing practices aimed at children.
The Center said letters had been sent to Kellogg and Viacom saying it would settle for a commitment from the companies within 30 days rather than sue.
But, the Center added, if its demands were not met, a lawsuit would be filed asking a Massachusetts court to stop the companies from marketing junk foods in venues where 15 percent or more of the audience is under age 8, and to stop promoting junk foods through Web sites, toy giveaways, contests and other techniques aimed at that age group.
"The industry has had decades to clean up its act, but instead it has only intensified its marketing," the Center's executive director, Michael Jacobson, said at a news conference, where he displayed crackers, cookies and other snacks dotted with television characters.
The proposed lawsuit would mark the latest attempt to battle the growing obesity crisis in the United States through the courts. The would be plaintiffs, including the Center, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and two parents, assert Kellogg and Viacom could be forced to pay billions of dollars in damages if found liable in a trial.
A widely watched lawsuit filed in 2002 accused fast food leader McDonald's Corp. of using misleading advertising to lure children into eating unhealthy foods. McDonald's has called the lawsuit frivolous and parts of the case have been dismissed.
KEEPING KIDS AWAY FROM JUNK FOODS
If a suit were filed, it would contend that Kellogg and Nickelodeon are harming children since the overwhelming majority of food products marketed to them are high in sugar and fat.
"It's hard for a parent to compete with so many ads making junk food fun and cool," Sherri Carlson, a mother of three who would be a plaintiff in a lawsuit, told reporters. "Although I have a strict policy against junk cereals in my house ... this doesn't stop my children from asking me for them, especially after seeing enticing ads."
Nickelodeon said in a statement that it is "an acknowledged leader and positive force in educating and encouraging kids to live healthier lifestyles," and that it would continue to encourage advertisers to provide balanced marketing.
The company said it has also licensed its characters for "good-for-you" products, such as a deal that has SpongeBob characters on packages of Grimmway carrots.
A Kellogg spokeswoman said the company just learned about the proposed action, but would "continue to educate and inform consumers of all ages about the importance of both balanced nutrition and physical activity in maintaining a healthy lifestyle."
The Center said that, of 168 ads for food that appeared on Nickelodeon during a review in the fall, 88 were for foods with poor nutritional quality. Nickelodeon characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants appeared on packages of Kellogg's Wild Bubble Berry Pop-Tarts, which the Center categorized as junk food.
The findings follow a study released last month that found ads influence the foods preferred by children, especially the very young.
The Center's Jacobson said his group was forced to threaten a suit because federal regulators and Congress would not enforce laws against deceptive or harmful marketing.
"The (Federal Trade Commission) and Congress have failed to protect families from commercial exploitation," he said.
The FTC's chairman, Deborah Majoras, has said she opposes the idea of imposing new regulations to ban or restrict children's food advertising and marketing.
Majoras has opposed the idea of imposing new regulations on the industry, instead urging more self-regulation and further efforts to educate parents and children about nutrition.
"If there is evidence of illegal deception in specific advertising, the FTC, the states' attorneys general, and the industry's self regulatory bodies can all take action," said Lee Peeler, deputy director of the agency's consumer protection bureau.
(With reporting by Kenneth Li in New York, Nichola Groom in Los Angeles, Susan Heavey in Washington and Jessica Wohl in Chicago)
I think the movie you're thinking of was "Wild In The Streets." I saw it at the drive-in back in the 60's, and it was truly a sick movie.
The horror. How did we survive?
Sanctuary!
Ahem, now back to this thread.......I love my Frosted Flakes! They're GRRRRRRRRRREAT!
I don't really care though because I don't eat cereal or drink beer.
These public interest research groups are nothing more than a bunch of control freak socialists. They don't care about free speech. They don't care about parental rights. They don't care that the advertising they are targeting is for a safe food product. All they care about is a) getting media attention, and 2) trying to dictate how people should live. Has our society become so comfortable and so prosperous that this is the worst thing these people could identify and target for litigation? I can think of a lot of other things that should be higher on their priorities.
to everyone who posts! Search works a little better than 1/2 the time for me
This happens! A lot! And if this is the worst thing to get your blood pressure up today, then you have it made.
Or is it just because it is ME that posted?!
Logan's Run? Where the kids ruled the world?
That sounds about right. But it was quite awhile ago. And yes! It was sick!!! To think that who ever is running the world at that time can just kill a person off because they turned 30.
Carolyn
That's just it. We SHOULD care. Because they will be coming after something YOU love in not so distant future.
Remember the "They came for the Jews and I didn't care, because I was not a Jew??"
They have already started on obesity. It's like they don't want us to take responsibility for our own actions anymore.
Well, I sure don't need nanny government telling me at this point in my life, how to live it.
Dont take it personally. Not about you, just posting additional threads. IIRC I saw a post by a Mod that said something to the effect that if a repost is done 4 hours after its predecessor, they leave it. I guess for people in different time zones and those who miss stuff. No harm no foul. I am just being a (_!_)
I hope they keep this in the back of their minds for future reference.......
But Kelloggs cereals are NOT junk. They are vitamin fortified and they are the REASON a lot of kids drink their milk.
There you go. Different time zones. I know I am up at 6am est, but it's still 3am in California.
Usually, a Mod will delete the thread if it's a double.
Sorry. Didn't mean to rub fur wrong way! 
You know, that is exactly right! So unlike Big Mac that really isn't all that good for kids, especially if fed on a regular basis!
The Center for Science in the Public Interest
the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
I think I'll found an organization and name it… Short Names Only.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.