Do age ratings like “TV-Y7” still help parents decide which TV shows are safe for their kids? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants to know what you think.
The commission opened a period of public comment last month after revealing it had received many complaints of:
Inaccurate TV show ratings.
TV shows’ failure to alert parents of inappropriate content.
Inappropriate content being rated appropriate for increasingly younger audiences.
In a public notice released April 22, the FCC specifically noted:
The Daily Citizen previously reported on several examples of gender ideology in children’s television. As a movie reviewer and Director of Focus on the Family’s Plugged In, Paul Asay encounters them regularly.
“We’re seeing more and more shows that have LGBT themes in them,” Asay told the Daily Citizen. “Plugged In probably gets more emails about those issues than anything else.”
Though the prevalence of LGBT themes can vary, Asay said it can become the “main point” of some shows, like Netflix’s animated She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
Netflix normalizes and promotes same-sex attraction and sexual identify confusion in its TV shows — even children’s shows — as part of its commitment to “inclusion.”
During the public comment period, which concludes on May 22, the FCC asks Americans to submit comments describing:/cus
How useful they find TV-age ratings?
Whether they know children’s TV shows may contain information promoting gender ideology?
Whether some streaming platforms or TV stations seem to rate TV shows differently than others?
Questions like these will help the FCC determine whether TV age-ratings still serve their congressional purpose: To help parents make educated choices about their children’s entertainment.
The media industry voluntarily established America’s TV age-rating system in 1998, two years after Congress passed the Telecommunications Act.
The act determined television had a “uniquely pervasive presence in the lives of American children” and, thus:
The age-rating system labels TV shows designed for children (TV-Y); appropriate for children over seven (TV-7); appropriate for, but not designed for, children (TV-G); unsuitable for some children (TV-PG); unsuitable for children under 14 (TV-14); and designed for adults (TV-MA).
The rating system uses letter combinations to indicate when shows contain sexually suggestive dialogue (D), fantasy violence (FV), coarse or crude language (L), sexual situations (S) and violence (V).
Notably, no letter combination in the current rating system indicates when a show contains gender ideology.
The integrity of the rating system requires TV show content be rated accurately and correct content markers be used to warn parents about objectionable content.
The TV Oversight Management Board (TVOMB) is responsible for making sure media companies follow these rules and for fielding public complaints about age-ratings.
But the board may not be doing its job, either.
The FCC’s public inquiry asks Americans several questions about the TVOMB, including:
Does the TVOMB engage with the public?
Does the media industry have too much representation on the TVOMB?
How could the TVOMB solicit more feedback from faith- and family-focused groups?
Does the TVOMB complaint process make it easy for Americans to get involved?
The questions allude to the FCC’s lack of confidence in the board’s performance and structure. And what is there to be confident about, really? Per the FCC’s own observations, of the 20 groups currently on the TVOMB, 10 are media companies and four are trade groups financed by media companies.
This massive conflict of interest makes the TVOMB unlikely to hold its constituents to age-rating standards.
The Daily Citizen is greatly encouraged by the FCC’s willingness to consider the plight of Christ-following families and others who want to protect their children from gender ideology.
The TV age-rating infrastructure must be adjusted to include alerts when programs contain LGBT themes and content. Faith- and family-focused groups should be represented on the TVOMB, while media companies’ influence over the board must be substantially reduced.
The wheels of justice and government turn slowly. The Daily Citizen asked Asay what parents can do to make informed choices about their child’s entertainment while the FCC contemplates change.
“Well, of course, I’d point you first to Plugged In,” he said. “We try to watch as many shows as we can, and we tell parents about what these shows might contain — both good and bad — to the best of our ability.”
Plugged In also offers insight into a show’s overarching direction, which can help parents make early decisions about its suitability for their children.
Asay is also honest that LGBT content is particularly hard to screen for.
“As much as I’d like to tell you otherwise, Plugged In isn’t a perfect safeguard,” he admitted. “I don’t think that any family review outlet is.”
He explained:
For parents worried about modern TV, Asay recommends introducing kids to one of the growing number of quality, faith-based TV shows — or even an old favorite.
“It’s an advantage of this age of streaming we live in: Great, older shows are more available now than ever,” he explained.
“It’s a great bonding opportunity to introduce your kids to something that you loved as a kid and, consequently, can enjoy together!”
The FCC is accepting comments on TV age-ratings until May 22. The Daily Citizen encourages all readers to submit a comment encouraging the commission to:
Require the media industry to warn parents when a TV show contains gender ideology.
Require the media industry to rate a show which contains gender ideology inappropriate for children.
Require the TVOMB to seek out and invite leading faith- and family-focused groups to sit on the board.
Limit the number of media industry and industry-funded groups on the TVOMB to less than 50%.
Click here to submit a comment and follow the instructions. The “proceeding” number you must enter is 19-41.
Thank you for doing your part to protect children and families!
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The post Feds Ask Parents: ‘Did You Know Gender Ideology Can Be Promoted in Kids’ TV Shows?’ appeared first on Daily Citizen.
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