FCC stakes out position on TV violence

Published: 2007-05-01

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Federal Communications Commission has joined the battle against violent content on television. In late April it issued a 39-page report outlining its concerns about violence in TV programming. The report said the TV Parental Guidelines ratings system and technology intended to help parents block offensive programs -- like the V-chip -- had failed to protect children from being regularly exposed to violence. It said less than half of U.S. families used the ratings, and less than 10 percent the V-chip. The FCC recommended that Congress act to limit violence on entertainment programs by giving the FCC the authority to define violence and to be able to restrict it to late-evening hours. The report suggested that Congress also pass a law to give consumers the option to buy cable channels individually so they can reject paying for channels they do not want, regardless of their content.

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