15th Anniversary of the Children’s Television Act of 1990

CHILDREN’S TELEVISION ACT TURNS 15 YEARS OLD
Advocates fight to preserve educational programming rules currently under attack

WHAT: Children’s advocates, along with U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), will mark the 15th anniversary of the Children’s Television Act of 1990 (CTA). The CTA requires that broadcasters provide programming specifically designed to educate or inform children, and limits the amount of advertising on all programming intended for children on both broadcast and cable channels. During its 15 years, the CTA has been strengthened and clarified, and programming that is both educational and informational for children has been produced. Yet the CTA rules for digital television, unanimously passed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last year and set to take effect Jan. 1, are currently under attack by the television industry at the FCC and in the courts. The Children’s Media Policy Coalition is fighting to preserve the new rules.

WHO:
* Patti Miller, Children Now
* Rep Edward J. Markey (D-MA)
* Gloria Tristani, Office of Communication, United Church of Christ
* National PTA representative
* American Psychological Association representative

WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2005 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: U.S. Capitol Room HC-9