The FCC monitors value of kids TV shows ­ but how well?

THE FCC MONITORS VALUE OF KIDS TV SHOWS -- BUT HOW WELL?
[SOURCE: Sacramento Bee, AUTHOR: Sam McManis - smcmanis@sacbee.com]
[Commentary] It is clear that the Federal Communications Commission, while hyper-vigilant about enforcing nebulous rules about indecency, pretty much averts its eyes when it comes to guidelines regarding children's shows. In April, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin testified at a congressional hearing. Asked by Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH) how the Commission determines what qualifies as educational programming, Martin said the Commission doesn't monitor the shows and will open a probe against a station only if complaints are filed by viewers. "There was a lot of discretion that was provided to the broadcasters to end up in compliance with those rules," Chairman Martin told Congress. "And, indeed, the Commission said that they would generally defer to the good faith of the broadcasters in implementing that." The result: stations air as educational shows like "Hannah Montana," The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "That's So Raven," "Saved by the Bell," "This Week in Baseball," "DeGrassi: The News Generation," and "Care Bears." "The vast majority of shows that contribute the cognitive and intellectual development of children are on public television," says Dr. David Walsh, a Minneapolis psychologist and founder of the National Institute for Media and the Family. "The commercial stations are taking the easy way out with the (FCC's) 'pro-social' loophole ­ shows that 'teach' kids how to get along and cooperate. "They could fulfill the requirement just by looking at their current inventory for cheap ways to comply. It's not hard to find (syndicated) entertainment programs where kids are nice to each other."
http://www.sacbee.com/107/story/668352.html