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Grades 4-6

Ads for Violent CDs and Movies Target Kids

Have you ever been tempted by commercials for R-rated movies like Scream 3 and The Matrix? How about ads for CDs, like Dr. Dre 2001, which carries a parental-advisory sticker?

Movie-industry spokesman Valenti at the Senate hearing.

A report released last week by the Federal Trade Commission says that entertainment companies are targeting kids with ads for products that are not appropriate. They know that "the younger the audience, the more likely they are to be influenced by TV advertising," the report said.

One advertising plan for an R-rated movie said its purpose was to "make sure everyone between the ages of 12-18 was exposed to the film." Movies rated R for "restricted" are for viewers 17 and older.

Last week, the Senate held a hearing to discuss the issue. Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman criticized the entertainment industry: "This is outrageous, it is deceptive, and it has got to stop."

Violent movies and video games like Duke Nukem, above, aren't meant for young kids.

Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Association, admitted "some marketing stepped over the line." However, he said making a stricter rating system, as some have suggested, would not fix this problem.

The Senate will hold another hearing in two weeks, at which entertainment-company bosses will speak.

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