Web posted on:
Wednesday, June 09, 1999 4:27:01 PM EST

From Brad Wright
CNN Washington Bureau Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday announced that all of the major television manufacturers will meet or beat the 1999 deadline for installation of the V-Chip, a device intended to give parents more control over what their children watch on television.

"This is a critical time for the V-Chip," said FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani. "After being talked about as if it were real, the V-Chip is about to become a reality for all Americans."

The V-Chip works in conjunction with content ratings determined by the industry which indicate sexual or violent themes in the dialogue, language and visual content of many television programs. The chip can block out programs with a certain rating when properly programmed.

"By July 1, 1999, half of all new models with screens 13 inches or larger were required to have a V-Chip," Tristani said. "By January 1, 2000, all new screens 13 inches or larger are required to have the V-Chip. I'm pleased to report today that all major television manufacturers will meet or beat these deadlines."

Tristani said some smaller manufacturers who make televisions have not indicated whether they will meet either of the above deadlines, saying such information was not available.

Some of the members of the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association, which make 90 percent of the television units sold in the United States, have beaten the deadline. A group spokesman held up an advertising flyer for an electronics store just to show the ad in which televisions containing the chip are already available for purchase.

Those manufacturers are Hitachi, Matsushita, JVC, Mitsubishi, Phillips, Sanyo, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Thompson and Zenith.

"I suppose some of you might be wondering what the big deal is," Tristani said. "So these manufacturers did what they were supposed to do and met the deadlines."

"Well, if there's one thing I've learned in my 18 months in Washington, when someone does what they're supposed to do when they're supposed to do it, that's news," she said. "And when what they've done involved the protection of our children, they deserve our deepest gratitude."