The article “Children have a knack for news relevant to them” by Sowetan (29/1/2008, p.10) is one to be glad about in that in gives guidelines to journalists on how to improve the representation of children in the media. This story challenges views that do not recognise children as consumers of newspapers and stereotypical reporting on children. The article also looks at the joint Media Monitoring Project and Institute for the Advancement of Journalism children’s monitoring project.

The Empowering Children in the Media research showed that children were neglected as consumers of news and their voices were hardly heard in the news. The Sowetan story challenged the stereotype and presented children as consumers of news who need to be given a voice in the media.

A number of recommendations were made on how to improve reporting on children, with some of the recommendations coming from children themselves:
• A children’s section in newspapers written for and by children;
• The inclusion of children’s activities and competitions to attract young readers;
• The limitation of obscene material such as nudity and violence; and
• The inclusion of children’s opinions in most matters that affect them.
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The article also explained the aims of the Media Monitoring Project’s children’s monitoring project. The aim of which is to sensitise journalists about children’s rights and to improve the reportage of issues affecting children as well as creating and promoting interaction between children and journalists.