FCC Opens Comment Period on Joint Proposal for Changes to Children's Television Rules

FCC OPENS COMMENT PERIOD ON JOINT PROPOSAL FOR CHANGES TO CHILDREN'S TELEVISION RULES
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasting proceeding. The Notice seeks public comment on a joint proposal filed by several broadcast and programming entities and children's television advocates regarding previously adopted requirements of television licensees to provide educational programming for children. Specifically, the FCC seeks comment on whether, and to what extent, the Commission should adopt the joint proposal's recommendations for modification of the rules set forth in the Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted September 9, 2004, or any alternative modifications. The joint proposal recommends modifications or clarifications for the following five Children's Television rules: the website rule, the host-selling rule, the promotions rule, the preemption rule, the multicasting rule. Both Commissioners Copps and Adelstein said, "The Commission's children television rules are a corollary to the public interest obligations of broadcasters to the general audience. If the proposed clarifications prove to be acceptable, I believe this bodes well for Commission action on other challenging items, such as enhanced disclosure requirements, public interest obligations of digital broadcasters and the localism proceeding." Commissioner Tate said, "Children are one of this country's most valuable assets. It is imperative that we make every effort to nurture and protect them as they develop. Media - and, in particular, television - plays a pervasive role in the lives of Americans today. Nielsen Media Research reports that during the 2004-2005 television seasons, the average household watched television for 8 hours, 11 minutes each day. And according to a Kaiser Family Foundation Study, 81 percent of children between the ages of 8 and 18 watch television in a typical day, and 8 to 18 year-olds watch TV on average for 3 hours and 4 minutes a day. The American Psychological Association has found that "children under the age of eight lack the cognitive development to understand the persuasive intent of television advertising and are uniquely susceptible to advertising's influence." That is why it is critical that our rules successfully ensure that broadcast television licensees provide educational programming for children and that video programming directed at children is free of excessive and inappropriate commercial messages.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264394A1.doc

Commissioner Copps:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264394A3.doc
Commissioner Tate:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264394A4.doc
Commissioner Adelstein:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264394A4.doc

* FCC Seeks Comment on Kids Rules Deal
Patti Miller, VP of Children Now, one of the activist groups instrumental in the deal, was urging the public to support it. "We are hopeful that the public will recognize that the rule revisions recommended by the Children’s Media Policy Coalition and representatives from the broadcast and cable industries are of tremendous benefit to children," she said Friday. "These rules not only serve to provide significantly more educational programming to children as broadcasters increase their programming capacity with the digital transition, but they also serve to protect children from the harmful effects of excessive advertising."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6316750.html?display=Breaking...