Common Sense Media, Jill Murphy, Editor-in-Chief
Dear Editor,
| Everything I have read over the past few weeks has pointed out the obvious: It’s been a challenging year and the world is ready to move on from 2020. Although we might be able to turn the page on the calendar, the parenting worries of the year loom large. And while new routines came to life for so many of us, we were all rebuilding our daily lives and searching for some type of normalcy for our kids. |
| When the world came to a standstill, Common Sense set out to deliver everything families were asking us for. Right away, there was an appetite for new movies and shows that kids and parents could watch together, and for books and websites to support kids’ learning in a tumultuous school year. Families wrote to us asking for video games, YouTube alternatives, and apps for reading and math. New requests pushed us to the limits, the industry flooded us with new content—and we sifted, sorted, and reviewed it—with pleasure. |
| In bearing witness to some of the darkest moments of 2020, we were also reminded that tough conversations can be had with the support of great media. Coupling our drive for quality entertainment and our belief in the power of media to spark important discussions, we turned our attention to understanding racial depictions in media. Moving into 2021 and beyond, we are undertaking research on racial representations in media and will be enhancing our review process to better assess and call attention to race and stereotypes. We feel this work is imperative and look forward to creating a service that truly embodies the Common Sense mission. |
| On a personal note, I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to serve families like yours in even a small way during this time. If the resources and support we’ve provided have helped you get through this year, I hope you will consider making a year-end gift so we can continue to enhance and deliver the ratings, reviews, and curated lists you know and trust. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ |
| Warmest regards, |
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