Members of Congress and the FCC have expressed concern about the effects of certain television programming, including violent content, on children. To respond to these concerns, broadcasters and other sectors of the television industry have continued to work together to educate parents on the numerous ways to control what children view on the televisions in their homes.
Issue
NAB supports continuing efforts to remind parents and all viewers about their easy access to a variety of tools to control television content. As part of this effort, the Ad Council starting in 2006 created a national campaign to help educate viewers that they have ready access to technology to restrict television content that may be inappropriate for children. Rather than imposing constitutionally suspect restrictions on the content of broadcast television programming, government regulators should work to promote existing and new technologies for parents to use in controlling their children’s television viewing.
History
In the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Congress provided for the rating of television programming and the inclusion of V-Chip technology in television sets. In 1998, the FCC reviewed the parental television guidelines developed by NAB, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and the Motion Picture Association of America, and found that the industry, as provided by the 1996 act, had established acceptable voluntary rules for rating programming containing violent or sexually oriented material. At the same time, the FCC also adopted rules requiring that television sets with screens 13 inches or larger be equipped with V-Chip technology to permit parents to block programming based on this ratings system. Despite the adoption of V-Chip technology and the program ratings system, legislation was introduced in past congressional sessions to restrict violent television programming. At the direction of several members of Congress, the FCC in 2007 released a report about violent television programming and called for increased regulation.
In June 2007, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing on television violence and the implications of regulation. In late 2008, Congress approved legislation directing the FCC to examine and report to Congress on parental empowerment tools already in the market, the availability of advanced blocking technologies, and ways to encourage the development and use of such technologies.
In 2009, as directed by Congress in the Child Safe Viewing Act, the FCC conducted an inquiry and reported to Congress on blocking technologies and parental empowerment tools. NAB worked with other sectors of the television industry to inform the FCC about the many effective tools parents have to manage their children's TV viewing, including the V-chip. NAB also participated in a Senate hearing on children's television in the digital age. Congress is expected to remain active on the issues of children's television programming and parental empowerment.
In October 2009, the FCC initiated another inquiry on protecting children in today’s media environment. This inquiry will examine children’s media use, the range and effectiveness of tools available to protect children from the risks of electronic media, and ways to promote media literacy.
NAB Position
NAB supports continuing efforts to remind parents and all viewers that they have easy access to a variety of tools to control television content. For example, a 2007 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly three out of four parents (71 percent) who had tried the V-Chip control technology thought it “very” useful, a higher proportion than for any other media ratings or advisory systems. The V-Chip and program ratings system and other widely available tools, including cable and satellite lockboxes and set-top boxes, are First Amendment- friendly means of restricting children’s access to inappropriate content. The imposition of additional content controls on broadcast television stations would not only raise serious constitutional concerns, but would be ineffective in shielding children from potentially inappropriate programming, given the myriad of other outlets including cable and satellite television, the Internet and video games.
The V-Chip and program ratings system and other widely available tools including cable and satellite lockboxes and set-top boxes, are First Amendment- friendly means of restricting children’s access to inappropriate content. The imposition of additional content controls on broadcast television stations would not only raise serious constitutional concerns, but would be ineffective in shielding children from potentially inappropriate programming, given the myriad of other outlets including cable and satellite television, the Internet and video games.
Action Needed
Congress should continue to work with local broadcasters to help educate constituents about currently available and developing technological tools that parents can use to better monitor the television viewing of their children. Additional legislation regulating programming on local television stations due to its content would be contrary to the First Amendment.
