Closing the doors on Corporate Babysitter. Forever? Never say never.

For now, join Parents for Ethical Marketing on Facebook. Or follow me on Twitter.

Or browse through the archives (more on the blog home page, on the right):

Food marketing
Media literacy
Media reform
Public schools
Research
Sexualization of childhood

And use these Babysitter-approved resources:

Appetite for Profit
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
Childhood Gone Mad
Center on Media and Child Health
Humane Connection
Non-Toxic Kids
Pigtail Pals
Shaping Youth

This is a response to my previous post from Josh Golin at Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

Seems Disney/ABC continues its Jekyll/Hyde relationship with its Miley Cyrus property. And here’s a second background post describing my issues with Disney. Originally published April, 2008.

The blogosphere is full of discussions about Miley Cyrus and her photos in Vanity Fair. I’m surprised by how many writers find nothing wrong with the photo — but then, they didn’t attend a conference on the sexualization of children recently.

With that in mind, here’s some worth reading: At Girl Media Maven, Nancy Gruver has a great discussion going in the comments of Who’s the Grown Up Here? and a follow-up post where she discusses what all these sexualized images of girls in the media are doing to our girls. And Blue Milk has some terrific visuals to help explain why some of us have been speaking out on this for a while.

This is the kind of conversation I’m hesitant to join, because I feel so bad for this 15-year-old girl, heart of an entertainment franchise, and the life she has ahead of her.

But, Corporate Babysitter that I am, I have to say that there’s one thing missing from this conversation: Disney. Disney owns Miley Cyrus (as lifestyle brand Hannah Montana) to the tune of one billion dollars.

Now, Disney seems to be upset by the photos:

A Disney spokeswoman, Patti McTeague, faulted Vanity Fair for the photo. “Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,” she said.

Emphasis mine. Disney would know something about creating situations to manipulate kids in order to sell something.

After all, the Disney Princess machine alone is worth four billion dollars (see Disney Reaches to the Crib to Extend Princess Magic, Wall Street Journal).

Disney is arguably the greatest marketed brand ever.

And for their part in the creation of the Miley Cyrus who appears in Vanity Fair, they should not feign indignation. They should be ashamed.

I’m off to Boston for the CCFC Consuming Kids Summit: Market Values, Human Values, and the Lives of Children. Tonight they’re honoring Annie Leonard, creator and host of the Internet film sensation The Story of Stuff, with the Fred Rogers Integrity Award. Tomorrow the conference begins.

I’ll be attempting Twitter updates (@lisa_ray and #cksummit) with my new iPod Touch, but don’t expect too much. I just learned how to turn it on.

If you’re looking for something to read, I’ve posted Time for Schools to Retire Ronald at change.org. This is a great campaign sponsored by Corporate Accountability International. Please consider signing the petition.

A quick note to pass along some new blogs (well, new to me at least) that you might like:

Nursery Rhymes and Night Lights Parenting and Montessori.
The Millikan Daily Psychology and technology.
Our Suburban Homestead Waldorf and Esty Shop.
Wisdom Pursuit Advice and inspiration.

Somehow I survived my once-a-year trip to a mall and even had the joy of discovering a new Disney Princess product:

Copy reads: Do not apply “ . . . to nails that are thin, damaged or infected. For children ages 5 +.”

Most five-year-olds’ nail are naturally thin. I would not want to be around when those things have to come off, either during normal bath time or by accident, when the little princess tries to actually play (except the sit-on-a-chair-like-a-princess-and-don’t-move-for-hours-game).

Ouch.

The smart parent should take their daughter to this salon in Texas, which recently installed special chairs for children:

For cute! But the French manicure costs extra!

If you live in Minnesota you’ve undoubtedly been solicited to contribute to a worthy nonprofit tomorrow, November 17, on Give to the Max Day. It’s sponsored by GiveMN, “a new online resource that helps Minnesotans discover, support and engage with the charities that are right for them.”

All contributions made from 8:00 a.m. on November 17, 2009 until 8:00 a.m  on November 18, 2009 will be matched by the generosity of some super big foundations. That’s free money!

So please consider donating half as much as you might otherwise to Parents for Ethical Marketing. Why? So we can keep fighting the good fight. Thanks.

Larger image here. H/T Norwegianity. Photo courtesy allisonallison.