National Institute on Media and the Family Closing its Doors

The economy has affected countless companies in and outside of the gaming industry, though some of the organizations that are the hardest hit are non-profits that rely on donations; such is the case for gaming watchdog group National Institute on Media and the Family, which founder David Walsh announced today will be closing at the end of the year.

“I have some news I’d like to share with you today,” wrote Walsh. “Two years ago, the National Institute on Media and the Family’s board of directors started strategic discussions about the organization’s evolving mission and goals. The current challenging economic environment accelerated those discussions. As a result, the Institute’s board of directors made the decision to close the Institute, effective December 31, 2009 and to begin transitioning the programs to other organizations who share our mission and values.”

Walsh noted that the NIMF’s work will continue on in both national and local groups. He hoped that parents would continue to be mindful of the media their children consume during an era with “an ever-increasing number of screens in young people’s lives.” Walsh added that he would not retire and will continue to write about topics related to parenting.

The gaming industry has had a contentious relationship with NIMF and its MediaWise Video Game Report Card over the years. The watchdog group changed their tune lately, however, praising the ESRB for its efforts in rating games and educating parents.