The movie Finding Nemo along with pop star Avril Lavigne and Elmo of Sesame Street were all honored by a media group for excellence in family entertainment.

Common Sense Media culled 18,000 nominations from parents, teachers, children and other users of its Web site to pick winners - and losers - for its first awards.

Sesame Street character Elmo received a lifetime achievement award for "making television an educational resource for kids around the world."

The winners "prove you can make great media for kids and families without relying on gratuitous violence, lurid language or over-the-top commercialism to attract an audience," said Jim Steyer, founder of Common Sense Media.

The group also awarded a "Golden Garbage Can" to those whose products it claims represent "outrageous content" that was created for or marketed to young people.

Take-Two Interactive Software and Rockstar Games drew criticism for the computer games "Manhunt" and "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," which the group said were excessively violent.