Annie Suzak's mom and dad now have an answer to the question they love to ask when Annie watches TV. "My parents always ask, 'Is that show for kids?'" says Annie, 13, of Oak Park, Illinois. "With the ratings, they can make sure I'm not lying."
Last week network TV got a new ratings system to keep kids honest and parents informed. Shows on ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox are now tagged with coded ratings intended to help parents decide what kids should watch. All channels should carry ratings by the end of January.
The codes appear in the upper-left-hand corner of the TV screen for the first 15 seconds of a 30-minute show. They are similar to movie ratings. "We wanted to keep it as simple as possible," says Barbara Dixon, spokesperson for the group that invented the new system. Parents already know movie ratings, Dixon said, so the group felt that a similar system would work best.
A Happy Ending? Not So Fast
Not everyone agrees. The PTA, pediatricians, church groups and others claim the new ratings don't give parents enough information. For instance, a show may be rated TV-14 because of nasty words, violence or racy love scenes, or perhaps all three. Critics of the new system want the ratings to specify the reasons for the rating. One idea is to add a V for violence, an S for sex and so forth. "Tell parents what's in the show, and let them decide what is appropriate for their kids," says Vicky Rideout of Children Now in Oakland, California.
Many opponents of the new ratings system suspect that TV producers don't want ratings to be specific because that could scare off advertisers. "The producers' main motive is to sell TV time to advertisers," says Donald K. Freedheim of the American Psychological Association, which opposes the ratings. Companies may not want their ads to run during shows with adults-only ratings.
This Is Only A Test
The ratings war really started with a new law passed last February. By 1998, according to the law, all new TVs must be made with a V chip. This tiny computer chip will enable parents to block out shows with certain ratings. After the law was passed, President Clinton met with bosses from the TV industry. The producers promised to come
up with a fair system of rating their own TV shows and to test it for 10 months before starting to use it with the new V-chip televisions.
President Clinton did not applaud or attack the new system when it was announced last month. "We might be able to make it better," he said. "The parents' groups, the advocacy groups deserve to be heard and considered. But we are now doing what I think ought to be done."
What Do Kids Think?
Kids are just beginning to notice the new ratings. Colin Wilson, a ninth-grader in Fort Worth, Texas, says they won't change what he watches. He often gets to pick his own shows. "I trust his judgment," says his mom, Claudia Wilson. "The ratings system may be helpful to some people, but basic common sense works equally well."
Stephen Barnes, 12, of Brooklyn, New York, thinks a TV-M rating might tempt kids who are flipping channels. But what kids see in movies and video games is often more violent or grownup than TV shows, he says. "Most parents don't know what their kids watch, anyway."
Fans and foes of the new system agree on one thing: no system will work unless parents get involved. Some parents have already laid down new rules.
"I'm allowed to watch G and PG shows by myself," says Eric Fowler, 9, of McLean, Virginia. "But shows that are TV-14, I have to watch with my mom and dad."
A GUIDE TO THE NEW TV RATINGS
TV-Y
Suitable for all children
TV-Y shows are specifically created for a very young audience, including children as young as 2. Whether animated or live action, these programs are not expected to frighten younger children.
TV-Y7
Suitable for children 7 and older
TV-Y7 shows may be more appropriate for older children who can distinguish between make-believe and reality. They may include mild physical or comical violence, which could frighten children
under the age of 7.
TV-G
Suitable for a general audience
Although TV-G shows are not specifically produced for children, they contain little or no violence, no strong language and little or no sexual content. Many parents will find these shows suitable for kids.
TV-PG
Parental guidance suggested
TV-PG shows may contain material that some parents would find unsuitable for their younger children. Such programs may contain some coarse language, limited violence, or suggestive situations and dialogue.
TV-14
May be unsuitable for children under 14
TV-14 programs may contain sophisticated topics, sexual content, strong language and intense violence. Parents are strongly warned that they may find such programs unsuitable for children under
age 14.
TV-M
For mature audiences only
TV-M programs are specifically designed to be viewed by adults only. Such programs may contain mature topics, profane language, graphic violence and explicit sex.