CENSORSHIP IN THE MEDIA

I got this from a New York Times online article.

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/on-screen-smoking-down-but-still-high/?scp=8&sq=censorship&st=cse

In an article I read on the New York Times website entitled, On Screen Smoking Down (But Still High) by Stephen J. Dubner, the one aspect of media is heavily criticizing the television medium and censorship in a positive way. In regards to television, it is in a way applauding the idea of censorship in that it has kept the number of smoking scenes seen in movies to a lower number than was reported in a 2005 study. Researchers are said to believe that by this reduction of tobacco incidents in many of the main movies that are presented each year, there will be a sharp reduction, or at least of some kind, in the number of adolescent smokers. In my opinion, I think that the people censoring the movies have their heads in the right place, but there are other factors that get children to begin smoking, such as parents. I believe that seeing someone smoking or using a tobacco product in a movie has little effect on what children decide to take part in. I do, however, think that by some kids seeing their parents use, they want to be more like them and see taking part in it as being okay. Overall, I think the ideas and the reduction in numbers is good, but I do not think it will have the impact, or affect, on preventing kids from smoking that many people think it will.