MPAA Head: We're Ready to Be Part of Violence Conversation

Former Connecticut senator says TV, movie industries want be part of national healing process

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/20/2012 6:05:09 PM

In the wake of the Newtown school shootings, the Motion Picture Association of America says its movie and TV members are ready to be "part of the conversation" about that "senseless act of violence."

That came in a statement from former Senator Chris Dodd, who is from Connecticut, where the shootings occurred.

"As a citizen of Connecticut and having represented the people there for 36 years in Washington, I have been shocked and profoundly saddened by this tragedy. My heart goes out to the community as I know they will carry this pain with them long after the spotlight on Newtown has dimmed.

"As chairman of the MPAA and on behalf of the motion picture and television studios we represent, we join all Americans in expressing our sympathy as well as our horror and outrage at this senseless act of violence. Thus, I have reached out to the Administration to express our support for the President's efforts in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. Those of us in the motion picture and television industry want to do our part to help America heal. We stand ready to be part of the national conversation."

The National Association of Broadcasters has said it will cooperate with Congress if a new bill passes authorizing a study of media violence and kids. MPAA did not talk about the study in its statement or say exactly what conversation it was ready to be part of related to the shooting.

But MPAA went further than the video game industry, whose statement expressed sympathy for the victims but confidence in past studies that show no connection between media violence and real-world violence.

Separately, the Hollywood-backed Entertainment Industries Council said it will re-launch an initiative to use TV and the movies to spotlight the consequences of gun violence.

The video game industry is widely expected to be the focus of Washington's interest, particularly Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), who introduced the study bill and is expected to expand his inquiry in the new Congress.