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Deal reached on expanded TV rating system
Designed to give more information to parents
July 10, 1997Web posted at: 9:57 a.m. EDT (1357 GMT)
In this story:
- What the new ratings will look like and mean
- Fantasy violence category added
- NBC, others not signing
- Related stories and sites
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The six-month-old television rating system, criticized for being too vague, will be expanded by October to better identify programs containing sex, violence, adult themes and offensive language.
The deal, expected to be signed on Thursday, follows negotiations between parent groups and the television industry.
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Most broadcast and cable networks have agreed to the plan, according to lawmakers who pressured the industry to strengthen TV ratings voluntarily or face the possibility of having Congress do it for them.
The agreement will make it easier for parents to decide what programs their children should watch, said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, one of the lawmakers who announced on Wednesday night that a deal had been finalized. 
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What the new ratings will look like and mean
Under the revised system, programs currently rated TV-PG, TV-14 or TV-MA will get the added designations of:
- "S" for sex
- "V" for violence
- "L" for crude language
- "D" for dialogue containing sexual themes.
The letters will show up alongside the ratings that now appear in the upper-left corner of TV screens for 15 seconds at the beginning of a program.
One or all of the new designations would be added to the present "TV-PG" for parental guidance suggested; "TV-14" for programs unsuitable for children under 14; and "TV-MA" for mature audiences only.
Since they took effect January 1, the TV ratings have been attacked by parents' groups and some lawmakers for not giving parents enough information to make decisions about children's viewing choices.
In addition, five people -- a majority of them parents -- will join a existing board that reviews TV shows to determine whether they have been rated appropriately. That board is now filled only with industry members.
The on-screen ratings also will be larger and more frequent.
Fantasy violence category added
Broadcasters balked at adding the new letter codes to the current "TV-Y7" rating for programs suitable for children 7 and older.
Instead, the industry will add a special designation for cartoons or fantasy programs aimed at older children, such as "FV" for fantasy violence.
In exchange for the new ratings, Congress will promise to hold off at least three years before trying to make additional changes.
The wait will "give the rating system a chance to work," McCain said.
NBC, others not signing
ABC, CBS and Fox are part of the deal, as are most cable networks.
NBC and several small cable channels declined to join the agreement but Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-Louisiana, citing "the pressure of families in America," said he expected the holdouts to join by the time the deal takes effect in October.
In a statement issued by NBC on Wednesday night, the network said: "There is no place for government involvement in what people watch on television."
The network said it would continue using the existing six-tier, age-based ratings system implemented in January and would add additional information about a show's content on a case-by-case basis.
Meanwhile, the Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America have threatened to file a lawsuit against the revamped ratings, citing free speech concerns.
But first, the new system will have to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission, which had already scheduled hearings on the effectiveness of the rating system. The hearings begin next Monday.
Reporter Kathleen Koch and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Congress agrees to 3-year moratorium on TV ratings system - July 8, 1997
- Report: TV ratings may lure youngsters to racy shows - March 26, 1997
- Senate opens hearing on TV rating system - February 27, 1997
- U.S. TV industry unveils ratings system - December 19, 1996
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Home Page- government agency charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable
- The TV Parental Guidelines Website
- Federal Action Alert: Make Sure Television Ratings Work for American Families- from Children Now, a nonpartisan, independent voice for children Rcognized nationally for its policy expertise and up-to-date information
- Statement by Senator John McCain on TV Ratings Negotiations - Press Release, June 20, 1997
- Screen Actors Guild
- Directors Guild of America
- Writers Guild of America
- National Coalition on Television Violence
- Violence and Television - special report from KQED
- Center for Media Education - a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of the electronic media
- Mediascope National Television Violence Study - initial report of an ongoing three-year research project examining violence on U.S television.
- Taking Charge of Your TV - a guide to, "help families make better choices in the TV programs they watch and to improve the way they watch those programs"
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