Why We Do What We Do...

Have you or your children ever watched a movie or DVD only to be surprised by the amount of language, violence, or sex it contained? If so, you’ll  understanding of why we started writing Parent Previews (formerly known as Grading The Movies).

As parents ourselves, we understand how difficult it is for parents and caregivers to tell which of the thousands of titles at the local video store, or feature films at the theater, may be suitable for their family or for the children they care for. And few of us have the time or money to preview them.

Because it is difficult to get an accurate picture of what you can expect to see from a  movie’s poster, industry rating and/or back-of-the-box promotion, Parent Previews set out to offer extra information and take the guesswork out of finding appropriate family entertainment. Founded in 1993 by Rod Gustafson, the column first appeared in newspapers, and featured a review as well as an easy letter grading system.

In 2000 we expanded our reach by publishing on the Internet, and in 2005 we changed our name to Parent Previews, to more accurately reflect the nature of the information we provide. Our goal however, has always remained the same: To provide families with honest, candid reviews, so they have the tools they need to make informed media decisions.

Meet the Staff of Parent Previews!

ROD GUSTAFSON, Founder and Senior Reviewer
Rod Gustafson began working in the broadcast industry in 1976. In 1989 he left his management position at a TV station and set out to do something positive with his professional knowledge. That’s when he began to develop a unique way to help parents find entertainment that meets their family’s standards.

Today, Parent Previews requires Rod to continue working in broadcast and print media. He reviews movies for a major Canadian TV station and several radio stations, authors Parents and the Media, a column for the Parent Televison Council, as well as provides media related seminars and workshops for parents and teachers. Rod is also member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association. He and his wife Donna have four children.

DONNA GUSTAFSON, Editor/Reviewer
After decades of involvement with her husband Rod’s activities, Donna Gustafson has turned her attention to finding family friendly entertainment as well. In addition to writing reviews of great films, both old and new, she also manages the never-ending screening schedules and preparing copy prior to publication.
            

KERRY BENNETT, Reviewer
Kerry’s love of  writing began as early as the third grade! Pursuing this career path, she earned a journalism diploma from BYU Idaho. Kerry started reviewing for Parent Previews in 2000. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

JIM FLEMING, Reviewer
A conscious consumer of media, Jim feels it is important for parents  to know and understand the material their children are choosing for entertainment purposes in order to lead meaningful discussions about the messages these media promote. Jim started writing for Parent Previews in 1999. He and his wife, Jenny, have five children and five grandchildren.

WAYNE CHAMBERLAIN, Video Game Reviewer
Wayne first fell in love with all things gaming when he got an Intellivision as a teenager. Since then, he has graduated from both film and journalism school in Ontario, winning academic awards in both fields. A full-time journalist at daily newspapers in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Grande Prairie, Alta., Niagara Falls, Ont., and now at his home-time paper, The Sudbury Star since graduating in 1998, Wayne believes that parents need to know more about the video games their children are playing and need to take more responsibility when buying or renting titles for their kids. Wayne is currently the lifestyles editor at the Sudbury Star in Northern Ontario and writes a weekly video game column that appears in four daily newspapers.
Wayne started writing for Parent Previews in 2006. He and his wife, Christine, have two children.