V-Chip and TV Ratings: Monitoring Children's Access to TV Programming

Publication Date: January 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Media, telecommunications, and information

Type:

Abstract:

To assist parents in supervising the television viewing habits of their children, the Communications Act of 1934 (as amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996) requires that, as of January 1, 2000, new television sets with screens 13 inches or larger sold in the United States be equipped with a "V-chip" to control access to programming that parents find objectionable. Use of the V-chip is optional. In March 1998, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted the industrydeveloped ratings system to be used in conjunction with the V-chip. Congress and the FCC have continued monitoring implementation of the V-chip. Some are concerned that it is not effective in curbing the amount of TV violence viewed by children and want further legislation.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives held hearings and introduced bills on broadcast indecency and violence. S. 161 and H.R. 3914, companion bills both named the Children's Protection from Violent Programming Act, would have required the FCC to investigate and report to Congress on the effectiveness of the Vchip. No further action was taken on these bills. S. 2056, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, was originally aimed only at increasing the penalties for broadcasters transmitting obscene, indecent, and profane language, but was amended to include language substantially similar to S. 161. S. 2056 was later added as an amendment to S. 2400, the Ronald Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for FY2005; the language was later removed in conference and was not included in the final version of the bill that was signed into law (H.R. 4200).

The FCC is conducting an ongoing inquiry regarding the "presentation of violent programing and its impact on children (FCC 04-175)." Comments and replies were due in this proceeding on October 15 and November 15, 2004, respectively. There is no set timetable for further action.

Congress may wish to consider a number of possible options to support parents in controlling their children's access to certain programming. Some of these options would require only further educational outreach to parents, while others would require at least regulatory, if not legislative, action. Specifically, Congress may wish to consider ways to promote awareness of the V-chip and the ratings system; whether the current set of media-specific ratings will remain viable in the future or whether a uniform system would better serve the needs of consumers; and whether independent ratings systems and an "open" V-chip that would allow consumers to select the ratings systems they use would be more appropriate than the current system.

This report will be updated as events warrant.