Parents Television Council

Critics FCC not policing kids' TV

Fueling the drive is a Government Accountability Office report issued last week that highlights FCC shortcomings in enforcing the landmark 1990 law intended to raise the quality and educational value of children’s programming while also limiting advertising. The report said the FCC has been lax in ensuring compliance from cable and satellite providers and questioned the commission’s guidelines for determining the educational value of children’s shows.

“It’s another example of FCC priorities being out of whack and the entire commission not taking its responsibility to uphold the law seriously,” said Dan Isett, director of public policy for the Parents Television Council, a nonprofit group dedicated to responsible entertainment. “When you look at the sort of selective enforcement on this issue … it’s an indictment of the entire agency.”

Aside from parent and child advocacy groups, the FCC is also drawing criticism from one of the original authors of the law, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Markey called the FCC’s enforcement of the law in some areas “weak.”

“More needs to be done to give parents the knowledge and the know-how to ensure that they have the tools to find educational programming for their children and hold broadcasters, cable operators and satellite providers accountable for their statutory and regulatory requirements,” Markey said in a statement to POLITICO.

The renewed attention to the law already has the FCC in motion. In a bow to the report’s findings, the commission responded by saying it has reinstated an audit program that uses agency investigators to review public filings of cable and satellite operators to ensure compliance with advertising restrictions of the law.

The FCC stopped monitoring cable and satellite operators after 2004. Since then, the commission has had no way of knowing whether violations were occurring because the paid-content providers don’t self-report violations. Traditional broadcasters, which are required to self-report infractions as part of their FCC license renewal process, have reported more than 6,000 advertising violations during that time.

The GAO called it “unbalanced enforcement” of the law. Some observers had stronger words.

“The law is not really being enforced. Clearly, something’s awry,” said Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which is pushing the FCC to cite MTV Networks for a violation of the law over a cartoon the group says amounts to a commercial for Skechers sneakers.

The Clicker - Parents Television Council and others blast Rihanna, BET

The Parents Television Council, a group that often takes exception with what its members consider irresponsible entertainment on the small screen, has joined forces with other groups to take aim at singer Rihanna and cable network BET over a violent new video from the recording artist.

Rihanna’s “Man Down” video premiered on BET’s “106 & Park” on Tuesday. The clip opens with a scene in which the singer is shown shooting an unarmed man in the back of the head in a public place. As the song and story unfold, it becomes clear that Rihanna’s in-video character committed the act only after being sexually assaulted by the same man.

“Rihanna’s personal story and status as a celebrity superstar provided a golden opportunity for the singer to send an important message to female victims of rape and domestic violence,” Melissa Henson, director of communications and public education for the PTC, said in a statement featured on the group’s website . “Instead of telling victims they should seek help, Rihanna released a music video that gives retaliation in the form of premeditated murder the imprimatur of acceptability. The message of the disturbing video could not be more off base.”

Co-founder of media watchdog group Industry Ears, Paul Porter, who once served as a BET programming director, agreed with the PTC’s stance.

“ ‘Man Down’ is an inexcusable, shock-only, shoot-and-kill theme song,” Porter explained in the same press release. “In my 30 years of viewing BET, I have never witnessed such a cold, calculated execution of murder in primetime. (BET parent company) Viacom’s standards and practices department has reached another new low.”

Joining Porter and Henson in the criticism is Enough is Enough Campaign founder Delman Coates.

“Once again BET has chosen the low road over the high road,” Coates said of the controversy. “ Violence is a pervasive problem in all corners of our society and today’s youth need more positive strategies for dealing with conflict than those portrayed in the Rihanna video. This video is one among several frequently played on Viacom music video networks that lyrically or graphically glorifies violence and other behavior inappropriate for teens and youth.”

On Thursday, the singer responded to the criticism. "I'm a 23 year old rockstar with NO KIDS! What's up with everybody wantin me to be a parent?" she tweeted. "U can't hide your kids from society,or they'll never learn how to adapt!This is the REAL WORLD!

Faith in a box, television and religion, 1993-1996

Faith in a box, entertainment television & religion, 2005-2006

Is media violence a problem?

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