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// Kids Rule! // By Sarah Banet-Weiser discusses Nickelodeon’s role in breaking through gender stereotypes displayed in children’s programming. Nickelodeon has built its brand image around the idea of empowerment, specifically related to children. In iCarly, the show’s most influential and empowered characters are the two girl protagonists Sam and Carly. The girls are constantly in scenes with their friend Freddie and Carly’s older brother Spencer. Freddie displays a vast knowledge of all the technical aspects of the web-show but he is still seen as inferior to the girls, and although Spencer is much older than his sibling and her friends he is a very incompetent character. iCarly focuses on creating strong female characters, and this focus on Sam and Carly as the main protagonists displays Nickelodeon’s emphasis on girl power in their programming.

The elements of empowerment Nickelodeon focuses on for the female youth include viewing girls as a consumer group, as media visibility and as cultural producers. iCarly and its protagonists are the perfect metaphor for all of these elements. Carly and Sam are both visible media icons due to their hosting of the web-show iCarly. Both characters present themselves as consumers from their stylish wardrobe to their never-ending technological accessories. Along with hosting the web-show, the girls are key producers. Sam and Carly represent all aspects of female empowerment in Nickelodeon television programs. Sarah Banet-Weiser states that, “Not only does the channel create more programming that features girls; it actively works against reinforcing gender stereotypes” (Kids Rule, pg. 122). Sam would be a great example of Nickelodeon working against specific gender stereotypes with her gender-neutral characteristics. Evidently Sam is a girl, but she expresses extreme “tom-boy” characteristics that ultimately make her a dominant character.

Similarly to establishing powerful girl role models in iCarly, the show demonstrates powerful children. Spencer, Carly’s adult brother, in displayed as an inferior character to his sister and her friends. Not only is he incompetent with technology, but in many episodes of the show it seems that Carly is the maternal figure that has to lead Spencer in the right direction. In //Kids Rule!//, Banet-Weiser discusses the idea of “Us versus Them”; a concept that puts children against adults in order to help empower children. Nickelodeon creates programming that is in opposition to the promotion of educational television. The network wanted to empower children by using language that was not condescending. Nickelodeon focused on empowering children by speaking to them with a specific tone and talking to them as if they are active citizens. The network allows children to make decisions independent from adult influence, and the children on iCarly are constantly making decisions without adult supervision.