UNDERSTANDING THE TV RATINGS AND PARENTAL …

1 UNDERSTANDINGTHETVRATINGSANDPARENTALCONT ROLSWith an increasing number of TV channels and programs coming into our homeseach day, it can be hard for parents to monitor what their children are parents are concerned about their young children watching programs withcontent that s more suitable for older children or RATINGSThe television industry designed a TV RATINGS system to give parents more informa-tion about the content and age-appropriateness of TV programs. These RATINGS ,called the TV PARENTAL Guidelines, are modeled after the familiar movie RATINGS ,which parents have known and valued for decades. They are designed to beeasily recognizable and simple to use. The Guidelines apply to most televisionprograms, including those directed specifically to young children. However, sportsand news shows do not carry the Guidelines appear in the upper left corner of the TV screen at the beginningof TV shows, and often again after commercial V-CHIP AND PARENTAL CONTROLSThe TV PARENTAL Guidelines can be used in conjunction with the V-Chip a devicebuilt into most television sets since 2000 to allow parents to block out programsthey don t want their children to see.

2 The V-Chip electronically reads televisionprogram RATINGS and allows parents to block programs they believe are unsuitablefor their children. PARENTAL control technology in cable and satellite set-top boxescan also be used with the TV PARENTAL Guidelines to block programs based ontheir RATINGS OVERSIGHTThe TV PARENTAL Guidelines monitoring board is responsible for ensuring there is asmuch uniformity and consistency in applying the PARENTAL Guidelines as possibleand is comprised of experts from the television industry and public interest advo-cates. The board also reviews complaints about specific program RATINGS to helpensure accuracy. Individuals can contact the board via mail, phone or e-mail tovoice THE TV RATINGS AND PARENTAL CONTROLSThe Content LabelsTV PARENTAL Guidelines may have one or more letters added to the basic rating to let parents knowwhen a show may contain violence, sex, adult language, or suggestive suggestive dialogue (usually means talks about sex)L coarse or crude languageS sexual situationsV violenceFV fantasy violence (children s programming only)Audience:indicates the audience for which a television program is Label:indicates a show may contain violence, sex, adult language, orsuggestive ChildrenThis program is designed to be appropriate for all chil-dren.

3 Whether animated or live-action, the themes andelements in this program are specifically designed for avery young audience, including children from ages2 program is not expected to frighten younger to Older ChildrenThis program is designed for children age 7 andabove. It may be more appropriate for children whohave acquired the developmental skills needed to distin-guish between make-believe and reality. Themes andelements in this program may include mild fantasy vio-lence or comedic violence, or may frighten childrenunder the age of 7. Therefore, parents may wish toconsider the suitability of this program for their veryyoung to Older Children Fantasy ViolenceFor those programs where fantasy violence may be moreintense or more combative than other programs in thiscategory, such programs will be designated AudienceMost parents would find this program suitable for allages. Although this rating does not signify a programdesigned specifically for children, most parents may letyounger children watch this program unattended.

4 Itcontains little or no violence, no strong language andlittle or no sexual dialogue or Guidance SuggestedThis program contains material that parents may findunsuitable for younger children. Many parents maywant to watch it with their younger children. The themeitself may call for PARENTAL guidance and/or the pro-gram may contain one or more of the following: somesuggestive dialogue (D), infrequent coarse language (L),some sexual situations (S), or moderate violence (V).Parents Strongly CautionedThis program contains some material that many parentswould find unsuitable for children under 14 years ofage. Parents are strongly urged to exercise greatercare in monitoring this program and are cautionedagainst letting children under the age of 14 watch unat-tended. This program may contain one or more of thefollowing: intensely suggestive dialogue (D), strongcoarse language (L), intense sexual situations (S), orintense violence (V).Mature Audience OnlyThis program is specifically designed to be viewedby adults and therefore may be unsuitable for childrenunder 17.

5 This program may contain one or more ofthe following: crude indecent language (L), explicitsexual activity (S), or graphic violence (V). UNDERSTANDING THE TV RATINGSFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSWhat are the TV RATINGS ?The TV RATINGS , also called the TV PARENTAL Guidelines,provide information about the content and age-appropriateness of TV programs. The TV ParentalGuidelines include two elements: an age-based ratingthat provides guidance about the age group for whicha program is appropriate, and content descriptorsindicating that a program may contain suggestivedialogue (D), coarse or crude language (L), sexualsituations (S), or violence (V).Do RATINGS exist that are specificallydesigned for children?Yes. Children s programming is rated according to twocategories: TV-Y and TV-Y7. A TV-Y rating means thatprogramming is appropriate for children of all indicates that programming is designed for chil-dren ages 7 and older. An additional rating, TV-Y7-FV,is used to indicate that a program contains fantasyviolence that may be more intense or combative thanother TV-Y7 all TV programs rated?

6 The Guidelines apply to most television , news and sports are exempt from theTV RATINGS system. In addition, some categories ofprogramming, such as religious and home shoppingprograms, do not typically carry a movies that air on TV rated?Made-for-TV movies are rated using the TV ParentalGuidelines. Theatrical movies are typically edited whenthey air on broadcast or basic cable channels. Thebroadcast or cable network cuts content from the movieaccording to the channel s standards. After the moviehas been modified, it is given a TV PARENTAL Guidelinerating. Premium cable networks like HBO and Show-time run uncut theatrical movies. These movies carrythe original MPAA movie rating, in addition to supple-mental content advisories provided by the decides how a program is rated?Programs are voluntarily rated by broadcast and cabletelevision networks, or program am a program producer and/orrepresent a television network; howdo I rate my programming?The descriptions of the RATINGS categories serve as thebasis for applying RATINGS .

7 E-mail the monitoring Boardwith additional is the rating displayed on the TV?A RATINGS icon appears in the upper left corner of theTV screen during the first 15 seconds of the the program is more than one hour, the icon willreappear at the beginning of the second hour. Manybroadcast and cable television networks also displaythe rating after each commercial else can you find a program srating?Other places to find program RATINGS are: 1) localnewspaper listings; 2) TV Guide (either paper copy oronline); 3) local cable guides; and 4) on-screen cableprogram guides. Additionally, some television broad-cast and cable networks list the program RATINGS ontheir web a program carry the same ratingweek after week?Programs are rated by episode and, therefore, maycarry a different rating based on the would a program be rateddifferently when being aired ondifferent channels?Programs are often edited for content when being airedon different channels and would be rated ASKED QUESTIONSWhat is syndicated programming,and how is it rated?

8 Syndicated programs are those programs such as talkshows, game shows, and reruns of dramas and sitcomsfirst run by broadcast or cable networks, which arethen licensed and aired by secondary outlets, suchas local television stations. The distributor of suchprograms is usually responsible for rating commercials rated? Cancommercials be blocked?Television advertising is not rated, and therefore,cannot be network promotions rated?Network promotions are advertisements for a specificdaily or weekly program or block of programs. Manypromotions display the rating that the program will newspapers carry the TV ParentalGuidelines?A number of newspapers print the rating next to theprogram name and scheduled time in the listing your local newspaper does not list the TV RATINGS , calland ask that it do the February 17, 2009 transitionto digital-only broadcasts from localstations impact the RATINGS system?The RATINGS system and your ability to use parentalcontrol tools will not be affected by the transition todigital television.

9 However, in order to ensure that yourtelevision service is uninterrupted, you may need totake steps to prepare your household to receive adigital signal. For more information, please do I send complaints about aprogram s rating?The TV PARENTAL Guidelines monitoring board is respon-sible for ensuring that the RATINGS are applied accu-rately and consistently. Individuals can contact theBoard via mail, phone, or e-mail to voice (continued)FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSIs there a V-Chip in every television?The V-Chip is in every television set 13 inches or largermanufactured after January 2000 and some sets soldafter July 1, 1999. This means if you bought a newtelevision set after July 1, 1999, it is most likelyequipped with a do I program and activate theV-Chip?Each television set s V-Chip works a little you understand the definition of each rating andcontent label, programming and activating the V-Chipis as simple as following the set-up procedure, whichcan be found in one of two places: 1) the televisionon-screen menu options or 2) the written instructionguide included in the owner s manual.

10 The V-Chip willonly be activated if you select the option to do do I ensure that my child will notde-activate the V-Chip?To activate the V-Chip, a password is required. Thisidentification number acts as the password to activate,de-activate, and change the settings of the the V-Chip turn off when I turnmy television off?Turning the television off will not turn off the V-Chip. Itwill continue to block programs when the television isturned on if I forget my V-Chip password?Your TV s operating manual should have instructions onreprogramming your password. Most will offer two op-tions: a customer service number to call or instructionsin the operating manual that explain how to create anew type of programming does theV-Chip block?The V-Chip can block programming by age-based cate-gory or content label. For instance, if you want to blockall TV-14 programs, you can do so by selecting you only want to block TV-14 programs with intenseviolence ( , the program carries a V content label),you can select TV-14-V.