Nick News Explores the Decline of Civil Discourse in America and How It Affects Kids

Nick News Explores the Decline of Civil Discourse in America and How It Affects Kids

Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Cheap Shots and Low Blows: How Debate Turns to Hate Airs Sunday November 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon

Political Personalities Chris Matthews, Al Franken and Ann Coulter Weigh In on the Current State of Political Debate

NEW YORK, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Has civil discourse in America come down to "You suck!"? The midterm elections are here, the noise keeps getting louder, and the gloves keep coming off. And not just in politics. Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Cheap Shots and Low Blows: How Debate Turns To Hate, which airs Sunday, Nov. 5, 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon, explores the level of debate in America, and how it affects kids. Guests include Chris Matthews ("Hardball with Chris Matthews" and "The Chris Matthews Show"), political satirist Al Franken, and political pundit and author Ann Coulter.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061020/NYF064 )

"The question of how we, the people, are going to behave to one another in the public arena when we disagree is an important one," said Ellerbee. "Kids can't escape the messages we're sending. Do we need to examine those messages? If we can't all play nice, can we at least play fair?"

In Cheap Shots and Low Blows, Ellerbee and Nick News sit down with kids from across the country to talk about where we should draw the line when we disagree. Should we be more polite, or does civility only mask true feelings? Regarding politics, what's fair and what's a cheap shot? When is an ad an attack ad? Is the current level of debate a symptom of a new cultural divide, or just business as usual? The kids look at current and past campaign ads, the tone and words used on talk shows and in political debate, and whether television is fueling the fire

Nick News also visits Duluth, Minnesota, a city that has tried to turn the tide on negative rhetoric. In 2001, Duluth garnered a reputation for being a contentious city. City council meetings were often nasty screaming matches, until a group called the Community Foundation created the "Speak Your Peace Civility Project." Has it worked? Is there a solution? Is there even a problem? After all, mudslinging isn't new to American politics and disagreement is a central part of the American way. But have we gone too far?

Nick News, celebrating its 15th year, is the longest-running kids' news show in television history, and has built its reputation on the respectful and direct way it speaks to kids about the important issues of the day. In 2005, it won the Emmy for Outstanding Children's Programming for its show, From the Holocaust to the Sudan. In 1994, the entire series, Nick News, won the Emmy for Outstanding Children's Programming. In 1998, "What Are You Staring At?" a program about kids with physical disabilities, won the Emmy for Outstanding Children's Programming. In 2002, "Faces of Hope: The Kids of Afghanistan," won the Emmy for Outstanding Children's Programming. In 2004, two Nick News Specials, "The Courage to Live: Kids, South Africa and AIDS" and "There's No Place Like Home," a special about homeless kids in America, were both nominated for the Outstanding Children's Programming Emmy. In fact, Nick News has received more than 20 Emmy nominations. Nick News, produced by Lucky Duck Productions, is also the recipient of two Peabody Awards, including a personal one given to Ellerbee for her coverage, for kids, of the President Clinton investigation; a Columbia duPont Award; and more than a dozen Parents' Choice Awards.

Nickelodeon, in its 27th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than eleven consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B).

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061020/NYF064
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
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Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326, or Thamar Romero,
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