TV Watch launches "Remote PATROL"
New Video; Discussion Page Educates Parents About Tools to Manage their Families' TV Viewing

May 25, 2011

http://www.televisionwatch.org/175/tv-watch-launches-remote-patrol

CHARLESTON, SC (May 25, 2011) – With summer just around the corner, kids across the country are putting down their pencils, and reaching for the remote controls. The question is, "Who will patrol the control?"

As they trade school time for TV time, TV Watch is inviting parents, grandparents and others with children to join with the organization and be on "Remote PATROL" in support of safe and healthy viewing habits for kids. Eighty-seven percent of parents believe they are better than the government at monitoring what their kids see on TV, so as the task of keeping tabs on their habits increases, so must the knowledge about responsible TV routines.

"The "Remote PATROL" campaign follows TV Watch's commitment to keeping parents in control. Whether it is as simple as limiting access to the TV during family meals or taking the time to learn the parental controls, the priority is for parents to maintain control within their own homes. The "Remote PATROL" campaign educates parents and gives them the resources to manage what children watch and when they watch television," said TV Watch President, Jim Dyke.

Being a Remote PATROL means addressing the following:

Parental Controls: TV continues to be the dominant form of media used by children 0-11, and Parental Controls are a great way to have control over what kids watch. According to TV Watch studies, 73 percent of parents monitor what kids watch and 83 percent are satisfied with the effectiveness of the V-Chip and other blocking tools.

Age Appropriateness: As kids age, parents should be leading the discussion about what is age-appropriate. Parents have numerous options when it comes to ensuring that their children are viewing television programs consistent with their age and the family's taste and values.

Telling Others: TV Watch offers many resources to help parents spread the word about helpful tools. Parents can recommend "Television Tools for Parents 101," an online tutorial found at www.TelevisionWatch.org that explains the content ratings, parental controls and gives tips that empower parents to take control of the programming their families watch. When a child is going to a friend's house, parents can inform the other parents about their rating standards by filling out TV Watch's free Parent-To-Parent Information card that allows them to easily pass along this information.

Ratings: 60 percent of those with children at home say the current TV rating system is an effective way to warn users and 67 percent say the rating has an impact making them more or less likely to watch the show, according to Rasmussen Reports. Parents should take the time to learn the ratings or brush up on them to stay up to date.

Observations: According to the U.S. Department of Education, in nearly half of homes, TV is on most of the time even when no one is watching it. Furthermore, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that approximately two-thirds of young people say the TV is usually on during meals. Parents should observe what is on the screen during these times and consider turning the TV off for more control.

Limits: TV Watch studies show that 91 percent of parents say they personally take some steps to manage what their children see on TV, but by age of eight, the U.S. Department of Education says 59 percent of children have a television in their bedroom. Parents who wish to protect their children from objectionable TV content have at their disposal a variety of tools to help them establish boundaries and set limits.

The Remote PATROL campaign invites parents, grandparents, experts, bloggers, childhood professionals and others to join the Remote PATROL team and help spread the word about tools already available to help parents take control of what their family views on television. TV Watch is promoting the campaign through a new web video and has launched a Facebook Remote PATROL Q&A page where the public can ask questions about preparing and implementing safe viewing habits and get answers from PATROL members and others in the community. By following the campaign on TV Watch's Twitter and Facebook pages, parents can get the latest answers and other valuable information that the Remote PATROL team has to offer.

As the leading national organization to promote parental controls and individual choices as an alternative to increased government regulation of TV content, TV Watch advocates for the 69 percent of parents who believe it is not the role of the government to decide what they see on television, TV Watch provides tools for every parent to successfully ensure that what children watch is consistent with their age, values and culture.

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 24 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.

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