Dr. Katie Foss, right, a professor of media studies, discusses a new course that examines the impact of media on children and of children on media on the “MTSU On the Record” radio program with host Gina Logue airing Jan. 25 and Jan. 30 on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and www.wmot.org. (MTSU photo of Foss; submitted book cover)

A new course that examines the impact of media on children and of children on media was the topic of discussion on a recent “MTSU On the Record” radio program. 

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Katie Foss, a professor of media studies in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media, first aired Jan. 25 on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and www.wmot.org.

Gina K. Logue

Dr. Katie Foss

You can listen to their conversation via the SoundCloud link above.

Foss is the creator of “Children and Media,” a course that she first taught in the 2021 winter session.

The course covers children’s marketing, video games, constructions of gender and race, and the history of the child consumer, among other topics. One of the issues Foss addresses is “The Rise of Competitive Childhood.”

“Definitely, a slice of this that drives competitive childhood is marketing toward the parents, who feel like if they don’t start their children in pitching lessons at age 3, they’ll never play softball,” Foss said.

“Beyond Princess Culture: Gender and Children’s Marketing,” a collection of essays edited by Foss and published in 2019, is used as one of the texts in the course.

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, visit the searchable “Audio Clips” archives at www.mtsunews.com.

For more information about the radio program, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.