May 4, 2005

NEW YORK — A new coalition called TV Watch that opposes government control of television programming and promotes the use of parental controls (which include program content ratings and blocking technologies) was launched today. Coalition members come from across the political spectrum and include legal scholars, media companies, authors, academic experts, entertainers and business leaders from around the country. “The debate has been dominated by advocates of increased government control,” said Jim Dyke, executive director of TV Watch. “TV Watch speaks for most Americans who today are not represented in the debate over rising government regulation of television programming and who want to protect their favorite shows from censorship.”

Dyke added, “The only way to balance the public’s competing interests and values is for concerned viewers to use the ratings and other parental controls, and our mission is to help them do it." TV Watch released a national poll which shows that the public clearly prefers parental responsibility to government control. By a staggering eight to one ratio, respondents believe that “more parental involvement” is a better solution to keeping kids from seeing adult content than “increase [d] government control.” The complete findings of the national survey conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates and the Luntz Research Companies is available on the coalition website www.televisionwatch.org.

"When given a choice between government regulation and parental responsibility, Americans overwhelmingly choose parental responsibility and reject government control," said Frank Luntz, Luntz Research Companies. TV Watch is founded on the premise that common sense, personal taste and personal values should dictate what content is viewed in an individual’s home. Surveys show, however, that 50 percent of Americans are using the ratings, but few know they have parental controls like the v-chip and even fewer people actually use the available tools. “Clearly the process for educating parents and other viewers needs improvement,” added Dyke.

Joe Pantoliano, actor and co-president of The Creative Coalition (a founding member organization of TV Watch) said, “I’m a typical American parent – I understand and use the ratings system when I’m helping my children make their viewing choices, and I sure don’t want to compromise my parental responsibility by turning my children’s television viewing choices over to the government.” He continued, “The Creative Coalition represents arts and entertainment leaders – many of whom are parents first and foremost – and we are dedicated to working with TV Watch to ensure that more and better educational tools are made available to parents and caregivers, while at the same time preserving the very basic freedoms that the First Amendment provides for our children and their children.” According to the poll, by a nearly four to one ratio, Americans prefer personal responsibility to regulation. The poll backs findings from a recent public opinion survey by the Pew Research Centers that found that Americans felt undue government restrictions pose a greater danger than current TV programming. “In a free society, different people will have different values and tolerance levels when it comes to speech, and government should not impose the will of some on all. To protect the First Amendment and our heritage of freedom of speech and expression from government encroachment, editorial discretion over content should be housed in private, not public, hands,” said Adam Thierer, TV Watch member and senior fellow and director, Center for Digital Media Freedom at The Progress & Freedom Foundation.

Survey findings: Americans prefer to choose for themselves and their kids