Disney to Limit Ads for Junk Foods on TV, Radio and Web

Did everyone see what Disney announced yesterday? The headline from the story in The New York Times says it all: "Promoting Nutrition, Disney to Restrict Junk-Food Ads."

Yes, it may be mostly self-serving (“This is not altruistic. This is about smart business,” said Robert A. Iger, Disney's chairman), but we'll take it!

Here are the first two paragraphs of article; click here to read the entire story. By the way, Disney's new standards won't kick in until 2015 because of existing contracts.

"The Walt Disney Company, in an effort to address concerns about entertainment’s role in childhood obesity, announced on Tuesday that all products advertised on its child-focused television channels, radio stations and Web sites must comply with a strict new set of nutritional standards.

"The restrictions on ads extend to Saturday-morning cartoons on ABC stations owned by Disney. Under the new rules, products like Capri Sun drinks and Kraft Lunchables meals — both current Disney advertisers — along with a wide range of candy, sugared cereal and fast food, will no longer be acceptable advertising material."