Children are spending twice as much time in front of a TV or computer screen as in the classroom, according to a new book on how big business targets young consumers aggressively though new media.

It says that today's children are a captive audience for sophisticated and energetic marketing techniques because they spend so much of their day online or in front of the television.

On average British children spend five hours and 18 minutes watching television, playing computer games or online each day. The total of 2,000 hours a year compares with 900 hours in class and 1,270 hours with their parents.

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