The Velvet Light Trap A Critical Journal of Film & Television Number 48, Fall 2001 Call for Papers: Children, Teens, and the Media Throughout the histories of film and television, children and teenagers have received extensive attention from policymakers, marketers, creative personnel, and scholars. The focus on the child and teen demographics has only intensified in recent years, in addition to their importance in the past, and producers and advertisers are eagerly seeking their lucrative patronage as much or more now than ever before. At the same time, parents, government leaders, and other concerned citizens have called for increased protections, citing such social dilemmas as teen pregnancy, school violence, and broken families as evidence of the potentially harmful influences of media. But as both producers and consumers, children and teens continue to interact with film and television in a range of creative and sometimes surprising ways, with responses ranging from adoration to outrage. The Velvet Light Trap invites papers that explore social, industrial, regulatory, textual, and audience-centered questions about teens, children, and the media from both historical and contemporary perspectives. Possible topics for this issue may include, but are not limited to: * Representations of Youth in Film and/or Television * Teen or Child Stars and Actors (e.g., Shirley Temple, Mickey Rooney, Gary Coleman) * Teen Idols (e.g., Elvis Presley, James Dean, Shaun Cassidy) * Use of Media in Education and Pedagogy * School Violence and the Media * Teen/Child Sexuality * Kids and TV and Movie Ratings Codes (including the V-chip) * Youth-Targeted TV Programming (e.g., kids and public television, Saturday morning TV) * Disney and Children * Child Culture Fads (e.g., Teletubbies, Davy Crockett) * Origins of the Youth Market * Child Genres (e.g., the adventure serial, animation, after-school specials) * Cross-Cultural Youth Favorites (e.g., Pokemon, Power Rangers) * Gendering of/by Children's Media * Race and Ethnic Difference in Children's Media * Kids as Producers of Texts (e.g., Sadie Benning, public access programming) * Merchandising and Tie-Ins * Teen Fandom and Fan Cultures * Youth Countercultures and Media * Teens and Music Video * Children's Video Market (e.g., Veggie Tales) * Kids' Channels (e.g., Nickelodeon, Fox Family Channel) * Teens and Sports in Media * Child/Teen Exhibition Sites (e.g., drive-ins, the Internet) * Policy and/or Regulation (e.g. family viewing hour, children's television legislation) Papers should be between 6,000 and 7,500 words (20-25 pages double-spaced), in MLA style with a cover page including the writer's name and contact information. Please send four copies of the paper (including a one-paragraph abstract with each copy) in a format suitable to be sent to a reader anonymously. All submissions will be refereed by the journal's Editorial Advisory Board. For information or questions, contact Elana Levine (608-263-3996, [log in to unmask]), Doug Battema (608-221-3893, [log in to unmask]), or Christopher Sieving (608-256-3740, [log in to unmask]). Submissions are due September 15, 2000, and should be sent to: The Velvet Light Trap University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Communication Arts 821 University Avenue Madison, Wisconsin USA 53706-1497 The Velvet Light Trap is an academic, peer-reviewed journal of film and television studies. The journal is published bi-annually in March and September by the University of Texas Press. Issues are edited alternately by graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Editorial Advisory Board includes such notable scholars as Donald Crafton, Michael Curtin, Alexander Doty, Cynthia Fuchs, Herman Gray, Lynne Joyrich, Barbara Klinger, Charles Musser, Chon Noriega, Lynn Spigel, and Chris Straayer. ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu