September 6, 2006
The National Institute on Media and the Family has announced a date and location for its long-awaited National Video Game Summit.The event, promised by NIMF president Dr. David Walsh in the organization's 2005 Annual Video Game Report Card, will be held October 21-22 at the University of Minnesota's Continuing Education and Conference Center in Falcon Heights, MN.
According to a NIMF press release, the two-day summit will focus on video game ratings and education. David Walsh will chair the gathering, assisted by Doug Gentile (left) of the Iowa State University Center for the Study of Violence.
So what's on the agenda? The NIMF press release says, in part:
"As dozens of new video games are being stocked on retailers' shelves before the holiday season, the National Institute on Media and the Family will be hosting a national summit to address concerns regarding video game ratings and children's access to violent and sexually explicit games."
NIMF expects over 20 "scholars, educators and experts on media violence and child behavior issues" will be in attendance. Attendees will "review current and emerging trends related to video game rating systems, education policy and government regulation; determine the accuracy and independence of video game ratings; and, recommend a 10-year action agenda based on the summit's conclusions."
As NIMF has been sharply critical of the ESRB system, it seems highly unlikely that the video game industry will participate in the summit.
