Senators Press Nickelodeon to Ban Junk Food Ads

Praise net's children's health initiatives, but ask them to follow Disney's lead

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/11/2013 9:29:15 AM

Some Democratic Senators are pressuring Viacom to follow Disney's lead and adopt nutrition standards similar to those adopted by Disney last June.

In a letter to Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman dated June 10, the same day cable operators and networks were cutting the ribbon on the Cable Show in the nation's capital, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), joined by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), asked Nickelodeon and parent Viacom to ban ads on the kids cable net that market "unhealthy" food to kids. All have a history of pushing the industry to adopt food marketing standards to combat obesity.

The letter points out that Disney took the "important step of saying it would "no longer accept advertisements for unhealthy foods on television, radio, and websites directed at children," and suggested the cable net might want to follow in its footsteps.

The senators' tone was hardly accusatory.

"We applaud the initiatives that Nickelodeon has taken to promote healthy lifestyles for children, including through health and wellness messaging, but remain concerned that Nickelodeon continues to run advertisements for food and beverage products of poor nutritional quality," they wrote.  

"Given Nickelodeon's commitment to fighting childhood obesity and responsibility to the youth that comprise your audience," they said, "we ask that the company promptly take similar action to implement strong nutrition standards for all of its marketing to children. We look forward to your response. "  

Viacom had not responded to a request for comment at presstime.    

Disney signaled that "all food and beverage products advertised, sponsored or promoted on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney and Disney-owned online destinations oriented to families with younger children will be required by 2015 to meet Disney's nutrition guidelines."

The limits do not mean that fast food and snacks can't be advertised, but those that do must meet Disney's nutrition guidelines. For example, a 3 oz. serving of "shaped, prepared nuggets" must be fewer than 250 calories and a cereal must have fewer than 10 grams of sugar.