NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
exposed y e k n o m s d n e i fr
creature features
r a t a v a d l i w
.............................................. national geographic kids: exposed
w elcome! .............................................. The narratives children are exposed to help build the paradigms they live and think in throughout the rest of their lives. These paradigms are molded through parents, peers and of course, the media. The ecological system approach to developing social, physical and emotional skills in children is now the most common approach—which strongly includes introductions to nature not only physically but through symbolic interactions with wild plants and animals. Interest and involvement in these non-human species as a child has a distinguishing role in their future apathy and interactions with nature and living forms (Kahn et al, 2013., pg. 1-2). National Geographic Kids (NGK) is a form of media that many children and parents use to orientate with nature— especially wild animals where physical contact is rare. So what connotations are coming from NGK? What messages about nature will resonate with the readers of NGK? And How will this reflect their perspective of nature in the future?
It becomes apparent from the National Geographic Kids website, that a rather personified perspective of wild animals is portrayed to children through their imaging and messaging. The content itself also exceeds the reading limits of its target audience, and reflects a friendly relationship between the animals and humans. Implications of this framing result in inaccurate adult perceptions of the wilderness. Not only is this of concern because of the misconception of danger, but also as these perceptions shape the future of such animals and apathy felt for nature as they grow up.
Editor in Chief: Cara Eaton COMM 4P18 October 3rd, 2013
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e k a t s ! t k Le loo a Therefore, NG Kids narratives are a misleading representation of a friendly relationship between humans and wild animals. Instead they build inaccurate paradigms through the personification of animals and visual anthropomorphism.
whats in this issue? Pg 3: monkey friends
Pg 4: creature features PG 5: wild avatar PG 6: letters to the editor
............................................. national geographic kids: exposed
s d n e i r f y e k n mo
An important aspect to the ecological system approach of development is orientating children with wild animals (Kahn et al, 2013., pg. 1-2). With National Geographic as a parent publisher, NGK has the opportunity to accurately represent the relationship between humans and animals. This includes both the dangers of interacting with wild animals as well as the impact we have on animals and their environments. Instead NGK narratives build a friendship between wild animals and promote positive crossexistance in a modern world.
The below picture is an example of a front page story on the NGK website. It asks for children to caption the picture, and describe what they see (National Geographic Kids. 2013). The picture itself is of a monkey on car, probably encountered in an African Lion Safari tour. This interaction communicates to children that the experience depictied is positive, and the animals they encounter belong and are treated well in zoos. African Lion Safari’s establish semi-safe friendly encounters with animals framing the perspective of peace between species (Milstein, 2009., pg. 28-29) . Furthering this, the captions by NGK ask children to personify themonkey as a friend. So what is this monkey up to according to readers?
"what’s this
monkey up to?" “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!! x)”
“Hmm... this isn’t the banana store!!”
“Stick em up!”
“Move the car!! It’s on my banana stash!”
-iPic12
-birdwatcher
-Truthpower
-Snapshot-16
(National Geographic: Kids. , 2013)
By asking children to interact with the image it provides a clear example of what exactly they are taking away from the narrative framed by NGK. Children are adding human emotions through their comments to the monkeys, as if they can build relationships, and interact in ‘stores’ or understand popular culture as they do. This is aninaccurate personification of wild animals and by doing so, resonates both a friendly relationship and natural coexistance in the current modern world.
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Rachel Buchholz, Editor and Vice President of NGK stated in an August 2013 interview that NGK “writ[es] for smart, curious tweens to inspire them to explore the world around them.” (Buchholz, 2013) According to Buchholz, NGK’s readers range between 8-12 years old. But is NGK effective in communicating their content to this age group? Is learning and discovery encouraged like the ecological system approach? (Kahn et al, 2013., pg. 1-2) When communicating to their target audience NGK chooses to feature or neglect specific content framing realities around wild animals. A sample of five random animal’s written copy ‘Creature Features’ was taken from the NGK website and put to the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Test on Word. Reading levels of these five articles ranged from grade eight to grade twelve, indicating that the level of understanding was above their target readership. Convenient videos and games were also positioned beside the written content and often walked through a glorified version of the life of a wild animal (National Geographic Kids, 2013). NGK frames their ‘Create Features’ this way so that children are visually drawn to and relate with the friendly (often cartoon) animals depicted in the videos or games. Alternatively, the body copy of the ‘Create Features’ discuss important facts like how Mosquitos “spread some of the world’s worst diseases, including malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and dengue” (National Geographic Kids, 2013). It would seem more informative if content like this was depicted in the interactive aspects of the features in order to clarify realistic relationships between wild animals and humans. This would also allow readers who cannot understand the written content a realistic visual representation of the animal in its natural habitat and how they coexist with humans. As a staple on the NGK website these ‘Create Feature’s could foster exploration and interest in animals as indicated necessary in for development in children (Kahn et al, 2013., pg. 1-2). However, instead they disappointingly draw children towards positive visuals of anthropomorphism.
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wild ava tar Not only does NGK depict wild animals as having a friendly relationship with humans, they also depict animals to feel, think and behave like humans do. This is presented through cartoons and games on their website that allow users to customize, interact and play with their wild animal ‘pet’ (National Geographic Kids, 2013). The picture above is of a ‘wild pet’ -in this case a customized purple/ pink monkey with flames. This monkey acts as an avatar on ‘Animal Jam’, NGK’s most visually advertised online game on their site. The game actually creates a second life experience where users achieve goals, trade with one another and shop for clothing, furniture and even their own ‘pets’ (National Geographic Kids, 2013). Animals are personified as the users control their ‘pet’ avatar and navigate through adventures and social settings with other avatars. They build relationships, play games, and customize their pet as if it was themself. It’s interesting that NGK frames the game as an alternative to reality where the world they interact in is made up, and chal-
lenges often relate to finding an item or product either through trading or buying. No where on an ‘adventure’ in the game does it prompt insightful facts about the wild animals the game is actually based off of. According to the ecological system approach, children’s exposure and interest in animals helps them develop apathy towards the environment that carries with them throughout their life (Kahn et al, 2013., pg. 1-2). NGK does not provide narratives that reflect the natural lives of wild animals in order for accurate interest and respect for the external world to occur. Instead users looking for any information on animals in the natural world are directed to a cartoonized, commodified, social narrative.
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a t i oes
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Overall based on an analysis of the NGK website, the narratives chosen about wild animals seem like underrated reality and overrated marketing. Children are taking away misconceptions of their relationship with wild animals and the position they have in the world. Their readers will find glorified entertaining stories online, and will be able to interact with vibrant images, text and videos drawing them into such narratives. Despite their opportunity to further education, NGK provides little realistic framing and leaves readers with misled apathy for consumer, animorpheos animals according to the ecological system approach. One can only wonder the implications narratives like this will have in the future when the children of today are making decisions about the environment for tomorrow.
? l e t t n e .............................................. rs to the ea e d itor m l l a
that point the readers to titles like “Sports Funnies,” “Outrageous Facts,” “Guinness World Records,” “Weird But True,” and “Extreme Weirdness.”
t i es
o d at
“The contents scream out at the
omplex, nuanced and wonder‐filled reader with bold colours andchildren. zany fonts
h w so
-Associate Communications Professor at Brock University
“It is not, however, just the ads that I find problematic. The ads sit atop a fundamentally problematic foundation – a foundation that is disrespectful to the beauty and wonder of the earth – not to mention incredibly disrespectful to caring, thoughtful, complex, nuanced and wonder-filled children”
-Jennifer Good (2012)
Works Cited Buchholz, R. (2013, August 12). Interview by T. Luckey. Magazine Market Spotlight: National Geographic Kids., Retrieved from http:// www.writersdigest.com/online-exclusives/oct-13/magazine-market-spotlight-national-geographic-kids Good, J. (2012). National Geographic “Inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888”? Ha! The Brock News. Retrieved on September 26th from jgood@brocku.ca Kahn P., Hasback, P., & Ruckert, J. (eds). (2013) Children and Wild Animals. The Rediscovery of the Wild. (pp. 93-118). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/115726/children-and-wild-animals.pdf Milstein, T. (2009). “Somethin’ Tells Me It’s All Happening Happening at the Zoo”; Discourse, Power and Conservationism. Environmental Communication. Vol. 3, No. 1, pp, 25-48). National Geographic: Kids. (2013). Back Talk. Retrieved from http://kids-myshot.nationalgeographic.com/backtalk National Geographic: Kids. (2013). Create Features. Retrieved from http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/ National Geographic: Kids. (2013). Animal Jam. Retrieved from http://www.animaljam.com/?CJAID=11028696&CJPID=5940917