Media Companies Team for Kids’ TV PSAs

WASHINGTON, July 25: The Motion Picture Association of
America (MPAA), ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
and satellite platforms DIRECTV and EchoStar are among the media companies that
have come together for a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) calling
on parents to take a more active role in monitoring what their kids are
watching.

The campaign, entitled Media Management, was produced by The
Advertising Council in partnership with the MPAA, the National Cable &
Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB), the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), television broadcast
networks ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX, and DIRECTV and Echostar.

The companies involved have committed $300 million to
advertising time and space for the PSAs for the next 18 months. The spots are
being delivered to media outlets nationwide this month. Created pro bono by
McCann Erickson New York, the Media Management campaign includes television,
radio, print and web advertising.

According to the Ad Council, 70 percent to 80 percent of
parents have “serious concerns” about age-inappropriate television content.
However, according to a Kaiser Generation M study, 53 percent of 8-to-18 year olds
say their families have no rules about TV watching. In addition, of the
remaining 46 percent who say their families do have rules, 80 percent say these
rules are enforced only some of the time, a little of the time, or never.

"For the first time parents have total power to control
all TV programming in their home,” said Jack Valenti, the former president and
CEO of the MPAA. “Through TV, cable and satellite blocking mechanisms, parents
can become the TV Boss in their homes. Whatever programs parents believe to be
unsuitable for their nine and ten year olds, can be easily blocked, so that
when parents go out to dinner, they can be secure in the knowledge they have
blocked out all programs they don't want their young children to watch.”

The campaign encourages parents to visit a new website,
www.TheTVBoss.org, which provides tips on using the V-chip and cable/satellite
blocking mechanisms, making program choices together, talking to children about
what they're watching and checking program content and ratings.