[Editor’s Note: Nonprofit TV Turnoff is sponsoring this week’s "National Turnoff TV Week."] Why do we need to turn off TVs this week? The average American school child is going to spend more time in front of the TV than in the classroom this year. All that TV time has negative consequences for health, education and families. By breaking free of TV for a week, we can give ourselves space to examine the place of TV in our lives and re-engage in real life. Is this year’s campaign getting more attention because of the indecency flap? Yes, the Janet Jackson indecency flap certainly has led to increased attention. Also, there have been recent studies linking TV and obesity and TV and ADD. The important health concerns are driving interest. Are you against all TV watching? No, we’re not saying you need to throw that TV out and never watch it again. We’re encouraging limits. When the week works, people come back and say we decided to limit our TV time, watch more selectively and make certain to engage in TV-free activities. What do you think of cable’s controlyourtv.org and channel-blocking initiative? I don’t know about controlyourtv.org. What about the channel blocking? I think it’s a good idea to give parents the most control possible … but I also think the most powerful button on the TV continues to be the on/off button. Your favorite TV shows? I just don’t know. I watch about 30 minutes per week now. I can’t say there’s anything in particular that I watch. … I have a tendency toward sports and sitcoms.

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S&P ’s TMT deal tracker reports that media and telecom M&A plunged to a 13-month low in February, with North American media and telecom companies striking 96 transactions worth nearly $160 million in

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