What in tarnation is 'suggestive dialogue'? "Believe in Christ and you'll
go to heaven"? infomercials?
What a mutant creation: a (value_judgment , content_rating) pair. Do one or
the others, guys. Either rate content and let reifiers (i.e. three-dialed
doodads that the Canadians rejected) spit out value judgments, or make
value judgments and stand by them...
The real reason is a SCARED industry:
"In return for making these additions, the networks have sought assurances
from both lawmakers and the advocacy groups of a three-year moratorium on
legislation that would force changes in the ratings or affect the time
slots in which violent programs could air."
The results however, are tempered by the fact we're talking about the
Masses here. No reason we can't trundle right ahead with hypocrisy: the
same crowd that watches NYPD Blue or Midmight Love or whatever will still
watch. Why the fear in their beady eyes?
"Sources close to NBC say the No. 1 network is concerned that explicitly
describing shows as violent or sexual could invite viewer boycotts.
Further, the network is worried that such shows might be automatically
blocked by large segments of the audience once the V-chip comes into
widespread use, thus driving away advertisers."
Well, that's the wages of monopoly. Even in the cable era, there are only a
hundred broadcasters the Establishment can hound into compliance. No saying
the same for a million web sites.
Rohit
-------------------------------------
Publication Date: Wednesday July 9, 1997
Style; Page C01
Copyright 1997, The Washington Post Co. All Rights Reserved
By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
The television industry yesterday was on the verge of completing a final
agreement with Congress and parents' organizations to revamp its
six-month-old program rating system by adding warnings for shows that
contain sex, violence or potentially objectionable dialogue.
Although some issues remained on the table in the three-way negotiations,
several industry executives said they expect an announcement tomorrow on
modifying the ratings. "We're just tying the bow on this thing now," one
network representative said.
If a deal is completed, the modified ratings will begin appearing Oct. 1.
In addition to the age-based ratings (TV-PG, TV-14, etc.) that viewers now
see at the start of programs, cable and broadcast networks have agreed to
add the letters V (for violence), S (sexual material), L (strong language)
and D (suggestive dialogue), when appropriate, to general entertainment
shows. They would also add the designation FV (fantasy violence) to
children's programs that contain non-comedic violence.
In return for making these additions, the networks have sought assurances
from both lawmakers and the advocacy groups of a three-year moratorium on
legislation that would force changes in the ratings or affect the time
slots in which violent programs could air.
This issue has been the key sticking point in three weeks of back-and-forth
negotiations among industry representatives and such groups as the American
Medical Association, the National PTA and the National Education
Association. The organizations have been negotiating with the explicit
backing of Congress and the White House.
Yesterday four House members who wrote legislation requiring that TV sets
be equipped with program-blocking "V-chips" said they would support a
three-year grace period if the networks and the parents' groups can strike
a deal.
The support of the four -- Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Dan Burton (R-Ind.),
James Moran (D-Va.) and John Spratt Jr. (D-S.C.) -- follows by five days a
similar assurance from Rep. W.J. "Billy" Tauzin (R-La.), the chairman of
the House telecommunications subcommittee.
A network lobbyist called the assurances of the four "a useful step in
breaking the [negotiating] logjam, but other steps have to happen. I'll
believe we have a deal when I see it."
The networks want further promises from the Senate, which has lately been
much more active than the House in proposing legislation feared by TV
companies. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who chairs the Commerce Committee,
began asking his colleagues yesterday to support a legislative moratorium
of "several years," said Mark Buse, an aide to McCain.
The educational and parents' organizations, meanwhile, have been leery of
giving their own assurances to the television industry. But one of the
groups' negotiators said yesterday that if the two sides could develop
language that doesn't preclude the organizations from publicly criticizing
the industry in the future, a deal could be worked out.
"This thing is about ready to close," he said. "We just need language that
everyone can feel good about."
The ratings have been the subject of unrelenting criticism since even
before they made their debut Jan. 1. A number of parental and nonprofit
organizations, including the PTA, have said the current six-category system
is too vague and doesn't spell out for parents what aspect of a program is
inappropriate for children.
At least one major network, NBC, and Hollywood's major creative guilds have
publicly distanced themselves from the negotiations.
The guilds -- representing actors, writers and directors -- said in a
statement last week that they "reserve all legal, political and other
options open to them, including opposing by a federal lawsuit any action by
government bodies . . . [that] infringes upon First Amendment rights."
Sources close to NBC say the No. 1 network is concerned that explicitly
describing shows as violent or sexual could invite viewer boycotts.
Further, the network is worried that such shows might be automatically
blocked by large segments of the audience once the V-chip comes into
widespread use, thus driving away advertisers. "The way this works,
[network programs] could be subject to unfair manipulation," one source said.
But both the guilds and NBC have hedged their positions in the event a deal
is struck.
The guilds say they won't support new ratings "until they have had
sufficient time to study them and comment upon them." NBC officials have
made similar statements. Industry executives expect NBC to go along
eventually rather than risk a backlash from the public and Congress.
Negotiators from the networks and the educational groups are scheduled to
meet tonight in Washington to work out several remaining details, including
how large the on-screen ratings should be and how long they should be
displayed at the start of a program.
Both sides have already agreed to add the S-V-L-D designations, to change
some of the descriptive language underlying the TV-PG and TV-14 categories
and to appoint five representatives from parents' groups to the
industry-dominated oversight board that reviews the networks' program ratings.
(END)
--- Rohit Khare /// MCI Internet Architecture (BOS) /// khare@mci.net Voice+Pager: (617) 960-5131 VNet: 370-5131 Fax: (617) 960-1009