Poll Shows Parents Use Tools and Believe They Are Effective

Latest Rasmussen Poll Echoes TV Watch Research on Content Ratings

CHARLESTON, SC – Jim Dyke, Executive Director of TV Watch, released the following statement after a Rasmussen Reports survey showed that a majority of Americans with children in the home believe the content ratings are effective.

"There are two issues at the core of children's television viewing - who should be making the decisions about what they see and how those rules are enforced. The authoritative force on the subject is parents who address children's viewing based on age, values and culture unique to their family. Parents overwhelmingly want to be making these decisions rather than government and this recent poll is further affirmation that parents approve of the ratings designed to inform viewers about television content."

The Rasmussen poll tracks with other polling that has found both ratings and blocking technologies to be effective:

A 2010 survey commissioned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops found that 8 in 10 parents say they use the media ratings information in making their decision about what to allow their children to view or use. In fact, they are more likely to say they rely on ratings information than on the opinions of other parents.
A 2007 Kaiser Family Foundation poll indicates that nearly 3 out of 4 (71%) parents who have tried the V-Chip say they find it very useful.

In the Rasmussen Reports survey the subset of participants with children support TV ratings:

60% of respondents with children at home say the current TV rating system is an effective way to warn users
67% of respondents with children at home say the rating has an impact making them more or less likely to watch the show.

TV Watch obtained the following data from an ALL PARENTS SURVEY:

60% disagreed with the following statement: "The current parental controls and ratings systems have failed. It's time for government to step in and do more."
83% of parents are satisfied with the effectiveness of the V-Chip and other blocking tools.
87% believe they do a better job of protecting kids from violent and offensive content
91% say they personally take some steps to manage what their children see on TV

About TV Watch

TV Watch was launched in May 2005 and is the leading national organization to promote parental controls and individual choices as an alternative to increased government regulation of TV content. TV Watch is a nonpartisan coalition of 27 individuals and organizations including legal and entertainment experts and political and consumer organizations representing more than four million Americans. For more information about TV Watch, visit www.TelevisionWatch.org or contact Adam Temple at (843) 722-9670.