Title: Cell Phones and Risk
Producer: Emily Halevy
Feed: CWKN #379, April 2, 2008
Time: 1:18
SUGGESTED LEAD: CELL PHONES ARE A GREAT WAY FOR TEENS TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEIR PARENTS … ESPECIALLY IF IT’S AN EMERGENCY.  BUT DO THEY ALSO GIVE TEENS A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY?  CONNECT WITH KIDS HAS THE STORY.
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NATS: mom and daughter talking (:00)

NARR: 15-YEAR OLD EIMANI (ee-MAH-nee) MORRIS LIKES TO STAY CONNECTED.

SHE USES HER CELL PHONE WHEN SHE’S OUT WITH FRIENDS OR BY HERSELF AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION. (:08)

SUPER: Miyoshi Morris, Eimani’s Mother (:12)
“That’s a parents worse fear…. Something’s gone on and we don’t know where our kids are.”

SUPER: Eimani Morris, 15 years old (:18)
“If I’m in a spot somewhere or in a jam, my mom is gonna be there.  And if I have a cell phone, I can ring my Mom up at the drop of a dime.”

NARR: BUT CAN SHE?  CAN SHE DIAL THAT FAST IN AN EMERGENCY?

ACCORDING TO A STUDY FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, 42 PERCENT OF GIRLS SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO WALK SOMEWHERE AFTER DARK THEY NORMALLY WOULDN’T … IF THEY HAD A CELL PHONE.

EXPERTS SAY A CELL PHONE DOESN’T REPLACE COMMON SENSE…

IF YOU WOULDN’T ORDINARILY LET YOUR CHILD GO SOMEPLACE … OR STAY OUT LATE … DON’T CHANGE THOSE RULES JUST BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE A PHONE.  (:26)

SUPER: Allen Carter, Ph.D., Psychologist (:54)
“Don’t put the power in the instrument. The power is in you, and the power is in the family, the power is in the communication system of the family, that’s where it is, that will give you safety.”

NARR: MIYOSHI (my-YO-she) SAYS THE CELL PHONE IS ANOTHER LAYER OF PROTECTION … BUT IT WON’T REPLACE GOOD SENSE. (:06)

SOT: Miyoshi Morris, Eimani’s Mother (1:11)
“You have to teach your kids, you know, just common sense.  And if something happens, you know, get somewhere safe.”

NARR: I’M COLLIN SIEDOR FOR CONNECT WITH KIDS. (:03)

SUGGESTED TAG:     THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT 48 PERCENT OF PEDESTRIANS CROSSED A BUSY ROAD IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE TALKING ON THEIR CELL PHONE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER STORIES LOG ONTO WWW.CONNECTWITHKIDS.COM.