Media Competence

Here is a summary of my remarks at the Future and Reality of Gaming (F.R.O.G.) Conference in Vienna, Austria in October, 2011. I was asked to introduce the topic, “What the FROG is Media Competence?” [read more]

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Strategy 101: The “Know-Feel-Do” Approach

It’s one thing to recognize a problem; it’s another thing to figure out how best to define and tackle it to create meaningful change. To help my clients do this, I often use a simple but very effective approach that I call “Know-Feel-Do.”

Here’s an example. In one of my projects, the focus was on reducing the number of depressed teens who slip through the cracks…[read more]

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The “Awareness” Trap

Not long ago, a medical supply company had a nice thought. One of their product lines was hospital gloves; what if they manufactured a special line of pink gloves, to increase awareness of breast cancer? “We thought that seeing health care workers wear pink gloves would remind people to talk about breast cancer,” a company spokesperson told ABC News.  It became a minor hit on YouTube, which triggered free media coverage.

A public relations success, no? But to what end?

The people involved had the noblest of intentions. They’re warm, empathic and dedicated to their cause. But they’re wasting their time and, perhaps, even undermining what should be their true goals… [read more]

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Five Keys to a Great Radio Interview

Here are some powerful tips that you won’t find in the typical guide to doing interviews on radio.

Tip #1: Remember that radio is fundamentally a visual medium. That may sound strange at first, but it’s a concept that network and major market radio personalities and reporters use all the time. Skilled broadcasters realize that…[read more]

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Popular media publications

Olson, Cheryl. It’s perverse, but it’s also pretend [op-ed]. The New York Times, June 27, 2011

Olson, Cheryl. Through the looking glass: What happens when media coverage distorts science? [PDF] Greater Good Magazine, Fall 2008.

Media research papers

Olson, C.K.Children’s motivations for video game play in the context of normal development.[PDF]  Review of General Psychology, June 2010 (in press).

Olson, C.K., Kutner, L.A., Baer, L., Beresin, E.V., Warner, D.E., & Nicholi, A.M. Jr. (2009). M-rated video games and aggressive or problem behavior among young adolescents. [PDF] Applied Developmental Science, 13(4), 188-198.

Olson, C.K. The electronic friend? Video games and children’s friendships. SITAR newsletter, October 2008. [PDF] (Article starts on page 2.)

Olson, C.K., Kutner, L.A., & Beresin, E.V. Children and video games: How much do we know? Psychiatric Times, October 2007. (Full text available for free.)

Olson, C.K., Kutner, L.A., Warner, D.E., Almerigi, J.B., Baer, L., Nicholi, A.M. Jr., & Beresin, E.V. Factors correlated with violent video game use by adolescent boys and girls. Journal of Adolescent Health, July 2007, pages 77-83.

Olson, C.K., Kutner, L.A., & Warner, D.E. The role of violent video game content in adolescent development: Boys’ perspectives. Journal of Adolescent Research, January 2008, pages 55-75.

Kutner, L.A., Olson, C.K., Warner, D.E., & Hertzog, S.M. Parents’ and sons’ perspectives on video game play: A qualitative study. Journal of Adolescent Research, January 2008, pages 76-96.

Villani, V.S., Olson, C.K., & Jellinek, M.S. Media literacy for clinicians and parents. [PDF] Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, July 2005, pages 523-553.

Olson, C.K. Media violence research and youth violence data: Why do they conflict? [PDF] Academic Psychiatry, Summer 2004, pages 144-150.