Children's Media Policy Council Wants FCC To Require Ratings For Ads
Association of National Advertisers says rating ads could be 'ruinous'
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/16/2009 6:51:39 PM
The Children's Media Policy Council, whose members include Children Now, The PTA, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, wants the FCC to fix the V-chip/ratings system, including adding ratings for "inapproriate TV commercials" and embedded advertising in broadcast and cable shows so parents can potentially block those as well.
On the other side of the argument, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) has asked the commission to "disavow" any effort to add commercials to the content ratings menu, saying that Congress' instruction to the FCC to conduct a study was not be treated as an "invitation to regulate."
That came in filings to the commission Thursday, the deadline on comments for a report Congress required the FCC to prepare on the current state of content-blocking technologies across a range of media, including cable, satellite and the Internet as well as broadcasting. The FCC opened the inquiry last month.
The coalition argues that parents' concern about TV violence, sex and coarse language is not limited to TV programs, saying they are also worried about content in ads for alcohol or Viagra. They call the fact that the V-chip cannot block ads a "serious flaw" that needs to be addressed. One way it suggests it do that is to add a content descriptor that identifies shows with product placements or product integration. "Because broadcasters and origination cablecasters are already required under Section 317 of the Communications Act to make sponsorship identification announcements in any programming for which consideration has been received, amending the current ratings system in this manner would impose a minimal burden."
Hardly, says ANA, which argues rating ads could be "ruinous."
ANA argues that the rating ads would be contrary to congressional intent, which was for a study, not regulatory proposals. It also suggests the FCC's Notice of Inquiry seeking comment went beyond the scope of its information-gathering charter from Congress by even raising the question of commercial ratings for the purpose of blocking ads.
ANA points out that the the Child Safe Viewing Act, which the FCC study implements, stipulates that the FCC consider alternatives that "do not affect...the pricing of a content provider's service offering." ANA says blocking commercials would not only affect the pricing, it would be "economically ruinous for content providers," especially broadcasters.
Besides, says ANA, rating thousands of ads because a few are offensive is unnecessary. It points out that there are already industry guidelines on ads for erectile-dysfunction treatments, for example.
"[R]equiring thousands of ads to be rated because some may be 'offensive' or 'inappropriate' for children would be a clear example of regulatory overkill," said ANA Executive VP Dan Jaffe in a blog posting outlining the comments. "[A]s very few ads give rise to controversy. Our comments describe the various industry self-regulatory programs that address concerns about ad placement for certain categories such as prescription drug products and alcohol beverage products. We believe those programs are working."
The FCC was required to open the inquiry by the Child Safe Viewing Act, which passed in the last Congress.
The bill specifically requires the FCC to collect data on the most advanced methods for blocking video content, including on wired and wireless platforms and across a variety of platforms including TVs, DVD players, VCRs, cable set-tops and wireless handsets. It is then required to present that data in a report to Congress by Aug. 29.
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This is the first mention I have seen of this, but I am strongly in favor. Personally, I don't care about erectile dysfunction ads, but about violent and scary movie commercials. I don't want to tell my son he can't watch basketball, but I was very upset by the ads on many sports channels this fall for "The Last House on the Left," which I found toxically violent and misogynist. I'm going to write the FCC today!
Eden Hill - 4/22/2009 12:59:14 PM EDT -
As a parent, it is MY responsibility to screen what my children watch. I am often upset when I allow my son to watch a program that I have reviewed and deemed acceptable, only to see ads that I do not find appropriate sprinkled throughout the show. If they were doing a good job policing themselves, this wouldn't even be an issue.
Holly Hengstebeck - 4/20/2009 5:03:04 PM EDT -
We believe those programsd are working
And that's why we have ads for adult products such as ED Pills aired during shows such as Sponge Bob Square Pants?
We need this new Regulation, for the sake of the Children!
William Hughes - 4/17/2009 4:59:50 PM EDT
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