CAGW Condemns FCC Report on TV Violence

Washington, D.C. - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today criticized a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) report on television violence and its effect on children.  The report recommends that Congress regulate and define violent content on the public airwaves.

“There are already many protections in place that allow parents to control what their children watch, such as the V-chip and ratings system.  If parents choose not to use these tools, it is not the job of the federal government to usurp their authority and make content decisions for them,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz. 

The report cites findings that, although V-chips were mandated for all televisions made after 2000, many parents with V-chip-enabled TVs either do not know how it works or simply do not use the technology.  Studies also indicate that half of parents do not use TV ratings, and many do not understand the system.

The FCC argues that violence on TV can lead to aggressiveness in children, but does not offer a definition for “violent.”  To reduce children’s access to violent content, the report suggests a la carte options for purchasing channels on cable television and a reinstitution of “family hour” whereby stations would only broadcast family-friendly programming with more violent shows relegated to later hours of the evening.

“The timing and content of programming is dictated by what the viewers want.  This report is just another excuse to encroach on the free market and personal freedoms.  We must keep the government out of our living rooms,” concluded Schatz.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.

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