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After its laughable coverage of Brain Training’s “discriminatory” stance on accents earlier this year, the BBC had some work to do to get back in our favor. The feature above, part of a recent edition of flagship news program Newsnight, does just that.

Rather than automatically accusing videogames of having a negative effect on children (a default position for countless media outlets), the piece suggests that games have helped to produce brighter kids now than at any stage in history. Leading the charge for this side of the debate is Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad Is Good for You. Johnson contends that because so much modern media (the internet, interactive television, games) is no longer consumed passively, many children grow up to be “more creative, more dynamic.” Later in the piece, he also suggests that games help us to believe that “complex problem-solving is fun.”

There’s some solid evidence to support Johnson’s claims, most notably in the IQ scores of children, which have climbed considerably over the last century. Could computer games truly be assisting in making today’s kids the smartest yet? We’re not certain there’s a conclusive answer to that, but it delights us to see the BBC covering the debate in such a measured fashion.

[Update: Not actually shown in the UK on Friday, as original post stated.]

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Do you play video games with your kids? A new study shows that 73% of parents (roughly) leave the video game playing to the kids and don’t get involved. This means that only four in ten parents will play games with their kids in any way, shape or form and that only 30% play games with their kids less than an hour a week . . . which is really sad when you think about it.

The survey found that 59 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds play games at least “sometimes,” compared to only half the number of people aged 50 to 64. Race and region do not seem to play a major part in the probability that someone will play games, although the survey did find that those earning average salaries were most likely to pick up their joysticks.

Other facts that the survey highlighted were that 44 percent of gamers play over the Internet and 26 percent had spent nothing on games in the past year. Price was seen to be the major factor in buying a new console, followed by the selection of games available.

It will be interesting to see how this evolves as time goes on. I know I definitely will be playing games with my kids. — Via GS

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The game comic creators at Penny Arcade this week launched their Child’s Play Charity 2007 Drive. Since launching in 2003, the charity has given over $2 million in toys, games, and cash to over 45 children’s hospitals worldwide. From gamers to sick kids as it were.

Now in its fifth year, Child’s Play has expanded its network of beneficiary hospitals to over 25 states and five countries across the globe with additional partner hospitals being added each month. Child’s Play works in conjunction with Amazon.com to create wish lists for participating hospitals. Individual donors can choose to give new items ranging from toddler toys to music CDs, videogames, game consoles and accessories. Gifts are delivered directly to hospitals in need and are tax deductible as denoted by law.

The annual Child’s Play Fundraiser Dinner Auction will be held Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington. The semi-formal evening features a silent auction, dinner and live auction. In 2006 the dinner raised over $200,000 in one night, with all fundraising proceeds going directly to the Child’s Play network of hospitals.

Child’s Play is seeking corporate donations for giveaway at Children’s Hospitals as well as auction items for the fundraising dinner. For information on how to become a corporate or individual donor or how hospitals can become involved please contact Kristin Lindsay at klindsay@penny-arcade.com or 206.274.0024.

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