In 1996, as part of the V-Chip legislation, Congress passed a list of findings dealing with the effect of television on children. Among the figures were:
"The average American Child is exposed to 25 hours of television each week, and some children are exposed to as much as 11 hours of television a day"
"...Children exposed to violent video programming at a young age have a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life than children not so exposed..."
"Children in the United States are, on average, exposed to an estimated 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence on television by the time [they] complete elementary school."
"...Children are affected by the pervasive and casual treatment of sexually explicit material on television..."
As a result of these findings, Congress recommended the establishment of a television rating code and the formation of an advisory committee to oversee the implementation of the system. The actual legislation is as follows:
"Prescribe, on the basis of recommendations from an advisory committee established by the Commission in accordance with section 551(b)(2) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996,guidelines and recommended procedures for the identification and rating of video programming that contains sexually explicit, violent, or other indecent material about which parents should be informed before it is displayed to children..."
TV ratings are divided into 6 categories: TVY and TVY7, which are just for children's programming (since this site is about prime time though, we won't really discuss children's programming), and TVG, TVPG, TV14, and TVMA for all other programs. The ratings do not apply to sports coverage and news.
Most of the major networks (ABC, CBS, and Fox) agreed to another voluntary ratings code. Starting on October first 1997, the letters S, V, L, and/or D will be displayed on TV during programs. S is for sex, V for violence, L for language, and D for suggestive dialogue.
Critics of the new system say that it is ineffective because there are no industry-wide standards for rating programs, and the wording is too vague.
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