Peace Talks Radio: The Video Game Violence Debate (29:00)

Part of Series Peace Talks Radio - Series of Half-Hours
Length 29:00
Licensor Good Radio Shows, Inc.
Producer(s) Good Radio Shows, Inc. / Paul Ingles
Formats Debut (not aired nationally), Interview, Special
Topics Children, Entertainment, Youth
Produced April 25, 2008
Added to PRX April 30, 2008
 

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Summary:

As the notoriously violent video game Grand Theft Auto releases its latest version, Peace Talks Radio explores the debate over the effects of video game violence on levels of aggression and our notions about conflict resolution.

Website:

http://www.peacetalksradio.com

Additional Credits and Funding:

The McCune Charitable Foundation of New Mexico

The Oppenheimer Brothers Foundation

The Peace Tales CD Project (www.peacetales.org)

KUNM, Albuquerque

Timely on:

May: Recent Release of Grand Theft Auto - or anytime...

Tones:

Engaging, Opinionated, Thoughtful

Language:

English

Description:

Almost 3 out of 4 Americans consider it a worthy goal to do something to temper the violence in our media, yet violent movies, television and video games are extremely popular. Do violent games, like the recently updated Grand Theft Auto series, along with other violent entertainment, chip away at our sensitivities about violence and impact our notions about conflict resolution?

This time on Peace Talks Radio, the video game violence debate. And it is a debate. While no one is FOR letting young kids play the most violent games, there ARE authors and academics who defend the presence of violence in the games rated for adults, and question the strength of the research studies that suggest that exposure to violent entertainment correlates with aggression and desensitization toward violence. On the other side, there are those who decry the violence, believe the negative effects research to be true and call for tighter restrictions on violent game sales and content. We hear both sides of the conversation on this program.

Guests:

Bob McCannon, a media scholar, educator and media reform activist. He's co-founder and co-president of the Action Coalition for Media Education.

Arizona State University Education Professor James Paul Gee, author of "Why Video Games Are Good for Your Soul."

Dmitri Williams, Assistant Professor in the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California.

Paul Ingles, Host.

This program is also available in a 59:00/54:00 version here at PRX (http://www.prx.org/piece/25711)