Population Statistic: Read. React. Repeat.
Saturday, October 24, 2009

If you subjected your newborn to hours of Disney’s “Baby Einstein” videos, and years later wound up with a straight-C student, you’re due for some money back:

Last year, lawyers threatened a class-action lawsuit for unfair and deceptive practices unless Disney agreed to refund the full purchase price to all who bought the videos since 2004. “The Walt Disney Company’s entire Baby Einstein marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their videos are educational and beneficial for early childhood development,” a letter from the lawyers said, calling those claims “false because research shows that television viewing is potentially harmful for very young children.”

The letter cited estimates from The Washington Post and BusinessWeek that Baby Einstein controlled 90 percent of the baby media market, and sold $200 million worth of products annually.

The letter also described studies showing that television exposure at ages 1 through 3 is associated with attention problems at age 7.

In response, the Baby Einstein company will refund $15.99 for up to four “Baby Einstein” DVDs per household, bought between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 5, 2009, and returned to the company.

Sixteen bucks? I’m sure parents were counting on all that video exposure paying itself back when Junior earned a full-ride scholarship to college. Therefore, I say that Disney pony up the cash equivalent of a four-year tuition bill to some Ivy League school. Call it a “genius grant” settlement. It’ll end up being the smartest move those brain-dead parents ever made…

by Costa Tsiokos, Sat 10/24/2009 04:44 PM
Category: Business, Society, TV
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