VJR Consulting is an independent consulting firm specializing in research, policy, and strategic communications work for non-profits. Special areas of focus include social marketing, health communication, and high-quality research on youth and media. We design and direct public opinion and media research, write reports, develop policy positions, conduct strategic planning, convene high-level events, and plan media campaigns. We operate at the intersection of issues, research, and communications. Read More >
Round two of Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America for Common Sense Media
October 28, 2013
"Even a casual observer of children and families today knows big changes are afoot when it comes to children and new media technologies. This report, based on the results of a large-scale, nationally representative survey, documents for the first time exactly how big those changes are." Read More >
Toddlers and Tablets: Way of the Future?
June 5, 2013, ABC News Nighline
A survey by Northwestern's School of Communication of 2,300 parents of children aged to 8-years-old found that 37 percent of parents still report they are likely to use their tablet or smartphone to entertain their kids, despite the fact that 54 percent worry their children's use of mobile devices had a negative impact on their physical activity. Read More >
Conference on Parenting in the Age of Digital Technology: How Families Use Media and Technology in their Daily Lives. VJR Consulting organized this conference for Northwestern University’s Center on Media and Human Development. Speakers included the head of research for Disney Channels Worldwide, the director of the Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, and the medical director for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. See the agenda and participant bios, or watch videos of Vicky Rideout’s presentation to the conference, the panel discussion, or remarks by Richard Culatta, George Askew, or UCLA’s Elinor Ochs.
Most Parents Show Little Worry About Media Use, Survey Says
June 4, 2013. New York Times
Do parents worry about the growing amount of time their children spend with media? One new study suggests that most parents are largely unconcerned. And perhaps no wonder: Parents who show little concern about their children’s use of technology themselves spend big chunks of their leisure time with media. The study’s co-author, Vicky Rideout, an independent researcher who over the last decade has done pioneering research into patterns of technology use, said she was surprised to find that 59 percent of the 2,300 parents surveyed were not worried... Read Article >
The NO MORE ProjectMarch 13, 2013 was NO MORE Day, the public launch of The NO MORE Project to end domestic violence and sexual assault. VJR Consulting worked with a coalition of DV/SA organizations to help develop and launch the NO MORE Project. Read Ad Age’s article about the development of the No More project, see Vice President Biden wearing the No More symbol, browse Tim Gunn's blog about No More, watch the clip from Law & Order: SVU featuring the NO MORE message, or visit the NO MORE website for more information. And check out this incredible story about Christine Mau, brand design director for Kimberly-Clark group (Kleenex, Huggies) and one of Advertising Age’s “Women to Watch,” who was recruited by VJR Consulting to participate in the NO MORE project.
Children, Teens and Entertainment Media: The View from the Classroom
October, 2012. Read the New York Times story on the national survey of teachers we directed for Common Sense Media, about how teachers view the impact of entertainment media on students’ academic skills and social development. Download the full report or visit Common Sense Media’s research library for more of their work. 
Social Media, Social Life: How Teens View Their Digital Lives
June 26, 2012: Read the new study we directed and wrote for Common Sense Media, about how teens think social media impacts their social and emotional well-being.
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Read Washington Post Article >
Listen to Vicky on public radio’s Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane talking about screen time and the digital divide. June 21, 2012.
Wasting Time Is New Divide In Digital Era
May 30, 2012: In the 1990s, the term ''digital divide'' emerged to describe technology's haves and have-nots. It inspired many efforts to get the latest computing tools into the hands of all Americans, particularly low-income families. Read More >
Study on Young Children’s Media Use Now Available From iTunes as an App
Our study for Common Sense Media, "Zero to Eight: Children's Media Use in America" is now out as an iPad app.
Download the app or the full report.
October 25, 2011, New York Times
Jaden Lender, 3, sings along softly with the “Five Little Monkeys” app on the family iPad, and waggles his index finger along with the monkey doctor at the warning, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!” He likes crushing the ants in “Ant Smasher,” and improving his swing in the golf app. But he is no app addict: when the one featuring Grover from Sesame Street does not work right, Jaden says, “Come on, iPad!’” — then wanders happily off to play with his train set. Read More >