WKAR-TV's public affairs program "Impact: Michigan" is back with an episode on teens, mental health and social media.
The show, which brings together experts and Michiganders dealing with everyday issues, debuted earlier this year with an episode on property taxes and housing affordability.
Host Sheri Jones says this new episode tackles another timely topic.
"Our young people are very vulnerable, and the pressures that they have in their daily lives that we see are only exasperated by what they're watching on social media," Jones said.
The show features a panel of experts from fields like medicine, law and social work.
"We're taking a look at, are [teens] simply struggling to regulate their own technology? Are we asking too much of kids because of the algorithms and the way that they constantly feed content, and that we're engaged in a way that perpetuates that?" she said.
"I like to tap into all the wealth of information that is in our community right here in our own university and help families understand that, yes, this is a problem, you are not alone."
"Impact: Michigan" will return for two more episodes later this year.
Interview Highlights
On feedback for the show's debut episode
A lot of people in the community said "We are in that same boat. We are trying to sell our home, but once we do that, the inventory that's out there is so much more expensive," and we have, you know, with the prices for uncapping the taxes, so there's a lot of financial strain that people are feeling right now, and what we need to do to change that in the state legislature is just another conversation that our lawmakers are having.
On spotlighting teen mental health and social media
This is a growing concern for not only patients and parents, pediatricians. Our young people are very vulnerable, and the pressures that they have in their daily lives that we see are only exasperated by what they're watching on social media, their mental health. And we're really wondering, and we're taking a look at, are they simply struggling to regulate their own technology? Are we asking too much of kids because of the algorithms and the way that they constantly feed content, and that we're engaged in a way that perpetuates that, and sometimes can turn very, very dark.
On talking about mental health in a public setting
I'm really glad that we're having these open conversations about our mental health. Because when we meet people, we don't always know where they are in their life's journey, and how can we support them? And we talked to a pediatrician from the University of Michigan. We had a clinical psychologist. We had someone from law. I like to tap into all the wealth of information that is in our community right here in our own university and help families understand that, yes, this is a problem, you are not alone
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: WKAR-TV's public affairs program "Impact: Michigan" is back this week with an episode on teens, mental health and social media.
Sheri Jones hosts the program, and she joins me now to talk about tackling this big topic. Thank you for being here.
Sheri Jones: Thank you, Sophia, for having me.
Saliby: So, we've had one episode of "Impact: Michigan" so far, which was focused on housing affordability and property taxes. What was the feedback on that?
Jones: Very positive feedback. A lot of people in the community said "We are in that same boat. We are trying to sell our home, but once we do that, the inventory that's out there is so much more expensive," and we have, you know, with the prices for uncapping the taxes, so there's a lot of financial strain that people are feeling right now, and what we need to do to change that in the state legislature is just another conversation that our lawmakers are having.
It's a very timely topic, and that's what we really want to do here at "Impact: Michigan," because that is an issue that is affecting the entire state.
Saliby: Speaking of another timely topic, why was it important to spotlight teens and their mental health in this upcoming episode?
Jones: Sophia, this is a growing concern for not only patients and parents, pediatricians. Our young people are very vulnerable, and the pressures that they have in their daily lives that we see are only exasperated by what they're watching on social media, their mental health.
And we're really wondering, and we're taking a look at, are they simply struggling to regulate their own technology? Are we asking too much of kids because of the algorithms and the way that they constantly feed content, and that we're engaged in a way that perpetuates that, and sometimes can turn very, very dark.
We highlighted a family story about a mom and her 12-year-old daughter who ended up taking her own life, and so these are problems that are tragic in our community, and how do we regulate that? Where's the onus? And how do we, as families and citizens of this state, alert our legislators to that as well?
Saliby: You've done initiatives on mental health in the past. Can you talk about stepping back into that with working with "Impact: Michigan" on this episode?
Jones: I think it's important that our mental health, no matter what, as we are in our own individuals, as we're part of our family and the greater community, and where we work, I'm really glad that we're having these open conversations about our mental health. Because when we meet people, we don't always know where they are in their life's journey, and how can we support them?
And we talked to a pediatrician from the University of Michigan. We had a clinical psychologist. We had someone from law. I like to tap into all the wealth of information that is in our community right here in our own university and help families understand that, yes, this is a problem, you are not alone, and we want to hold your hand, we want to walk you through this, we want to give you the resources. It's extremely important today, tomorrow and beyond.
Saliby: And is there something new you learned working on "Impact: Michigan" for this installment?
Saliby: Oh, yes, we actually have extra content that is on the YouTube channel, and I would encourage everyone to stay, not only after we do our complete episode, but then we further the conversation, and we had Nancy Costello, who is a lawyer who is looking into this, and we talked about the Supreme Court, because there's always freedom of speech issues, right?
And so, right now the Supreme Court is taking a look at how do we part and parcel that out to hold Meta and some of the agencies that are responsible for content, responsible for some of this, right? So, you have parental, you have the individual, you have government, so you're going to learn a lot.
It's very enlightening conversation, and all the panelists could not believe how quickly that half an hour went. So, it's good conversation, it's quality conversation, and that's what you're going to get on "Impact: Michigan."
Saliby: Sheri Jones is the host of "Impact: Michigan" on WKAR-TV. Thank you for being here.
Jones: Thank you for having me.
