Industry Groups, Watchdogs React to FCC T.V. Violence Report

@Pyrohazard

Your citizen points have just dropped!

To recycle a classic joke I've used before: Once PTC is done with TV they'll want to edit the violence contained in mathmatics! You know, all that cannibalism what with seven eating nine. @_@

Eh, original wording was better.

At any rate, this would be very disturbing and could easily be used to censor the news, already they've banned images of flag draped coffins, next thing would be for the FCC to claim that body counts are too violent for the people to be informed of, or school shootings which don't help to further the agenda (IE: Kent state style).

Not only do TVs have V-chips, but EVERY console out now has parental controls.

More proposals to "protect" people from their own ignorance. Bravo.

Even if the ratings were labeled not as individual letters but as "Intended For Ages #+," where '#' is the appropriate age for the end product and is a nice 1" x 1.5" mark on the front of the box, it would still not matter. Some parents still won't pay attention.
Some people just can not be pleased with any type of progress or safeguards made to address their concerns.

Sometimes, it seems like some people wants the government to control them.

Okay, maybe E for everybody, T for Teen, M for Mature are to difficult for lazy ass parents to remember so let's try smiley face stickers instead or color coding them.

I'd like to add that the fact that the report itself is more than 2 years overdue and STILL contains so much vagueness, well I think that speaks volumes.

The FCC seems to be coming more and more under the influence of Christian Enangelists lately (like much of the US government). Note the Christian leanings of the NIMF & PTC as well.

Wow, it makes me glad that we don't have to deal with this stuff in Canada. Are politicians are fighting over legalizing weed, and whether or not to stick to Kyoto.

"...parents need simple tools to help them make better media choices for their families…"

How about the parents go buy some ball gloves and a baseball and go play catch. It doesn't get that much more simple. Do we need to make laws that say how long parents need to interact with their children?

ok ok it's way to early to be typing coherently... sigh

If I hadn't just woken up a little while ago, I would be bleeding rage.

I really, really, do hate the FCC.

The FCC basically lied throughout their entire report.

Their proposal is a violation of the First Amendment, straight and simple.

Ok, these commissions could make new rating systems till the cows come home but if THEY don’t take the time to give the parents information on the systems and the Parents don’t take time to learn it then what’s the bloody point.

There’s nothing wrong with the rating system as it is. If people don’t understand it then teach them about it. Don’t just ditch it and start over. That basically defines “counterproductive”.

Of course the Media Coalition has the right idea, as usual. They offer freedom of choice while those other organizations… well, “if we don’t think it’s appropriate then you’re not allowed to watch it.” Those dictating bastar…..

Good thing they passed that law requiring TVs to have v-chips.

Too bad that hasn't been effective because nobody freakin' cares about (or uses) the damn things. JUST LIKE THE TV CONTENT RATINGS SYSTEM.

Why do the stupid censor lovers act like all this violent media is being handed out for free to kids? Parents are buying the video games. Parents are paying for the televisions and the cable channels. I seem to recall that when I was a kid it wasn't my choice if I got to watch a scary movie on HBO or stay up late for Fantasy Island ... it was my mom or dad's decision. Has parenting changed so much in the last decade or two that the government needs to step in?

Liberty used to mean something in America.

The problem is that we need to get the word to the parents who don't use the tools currently implemented. More than likely they don't come to a forum like this to try to understand.

Personally, I do think it's too bad that TV can't use the MPAA system. Actually, I'm one of the people who believe you can rate games, TV and movies with one system. Given that, I'd take the ESRB, but the MPAA has more mindshare with the general public.

Honestly, I don't see how you can argue for a new rating system. The current one is not that complicated. It would be a monumental task to make it less complicated. As it stands, some (many?) parents aren't bothering to learn the current system (which is the real problem). Is there any reasonable indication they'd learn a new one? Remember, the MPAA won't let you use theirs.

Trouble is that Violence has never been considered obscene, and unless it's deemed "Obscene", then it really doesn't fall under speech restrictions.

So far, there are only two things that are truly considered obscene: sex and snuff. Snuff in case you aren't aware is the video footage of someone killing someone else or killing themself. Either way it shows an actual death that is not simulated.

Considering that there was public video footage of Saddam Hussein's hanging, that kind of puts the snuff thing into question, not to mention war footage.

The trouble is that the FCC is basically saying to Congress. "If you wanna you know, censor violence in any shape or form, pfft, go ahead! We don't care! We think it's good to never show violence to adults or people!"

Granted, those weren't their exact words, but it eventually says to Congress that they can censor violence legally and not meet Constitutional challenges.

Likewise, this is bullcrap.

And then there are the organizations that openly support this statement from the FCC:

NIMF
CSM
and the PTC

By supporting the FCC, they are essentially saying that censorship of free speech is okay. What more tools could they possibly provide for parents who want to limit what their kids watch? And what effects will this have on the parents? What if this effects what THEY want to watch?

It also makes me wonder who's in charge of the FCC. Frankly, I think Family Guy nailed it the best.

[URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzyyCxvZHmY[/URL]

~Otaku-Man

Ha Ha that was a good one right there COme on though a parent actully being a parent *gasp* execuse me but they have Jobs! the goverment should step in that way they can have their 5 minutes of peace Jeez! dont you care at all about the parents?

*end sarcasm*

[...] I hopped over to GamePolitics and noticed this article about an FCC report recommending Congressional legislation over violence in the media.  My personal views go along these lines: American media has too much violence and not enough sex whereas European media has too much sex and not enough violence.  Actually, European media has just enough sex, but not enough violence.  It speaks to how we, as Americans, are afraid of our sexual natures while Europeans are afraid of their violent natures.  At any rate, we could use less violence in our media however, and this is the huge however, there is no possible way that the government should regulate it.  First they came for our decapitations and all that. [...]