From:      <smoore1@ic3.ithaca.edu>
To:        A16.A16(kidstv)
Date:      10/16/95 12:30pm
Subject:   children's television

10/15/95

Honorable Commissioners:

     The proposed rules to improve children's programming should
be  carried out to the greatest extent.  Every possible measure
that can be  taken in order to influence children's programming
in a positive  direction is one step closer to a brighter future
for the next generation  of television viewers.  Many people are
concerned about the amount of  violence that children have access
to on the television with a mere flip  of a switch.  The efforts
to reduce the availability of violent  programming to children
will not completely stop children from seeing  such programming. 
However, the implications of the negative effects of  violence
will hopefully help children to understand that violence is not 
acceptable behavior.
     Such precautions as the V-chip, allowing the audience to
judge  the quality of licensee's programming and meeting
educational and  informational needs of children are great ideas. 
They are possible  remedies to eliminate some of the
inapporpriate elements of television  that children have access
to view.  Although it cannot be 100% effective,  it is helpful
and will make conservative parents and concerned parties  more
comfortable knowing that children are not viewing what they don't 
think is appropriate.  However, if a parent is that concerned,
they would  probably have enough sense to talk to their kids
about what is acceptable  behavior and what is just television
fiction.  "Sadly, those most  inclined to violence often have
parents least inclined to control what  they see.  But parents
cannot be banned, nor, unfortunately, can all  violent instincts. 
But information and chips could help," stated one  journalist
from "The Economist,"(Volume 332, August 13, 1994.)
     Children, by nature, will find a way to view what they want
since  they are not being supervised by their parents all the
time.  Statistics  by Stewart Cohen of the scholarly journal,
"Childhood Education" Winter  1993, show that the more television
that is available to a child, the  less active that child will be
in athletics and social activity.   Television "occupies such a
large portion of children's time [that it]  will have some
discernible outcome upon behavior."  A good way to  increase
physical activity in children would be to increase programming 
supporting athletics and socially accepted activities.  This
could   possibly spark interest in positive physical activity and
distract  children from violent tendencies.
     Children today are just plain absent mindedly watching too
much  television not knowing about or caring about the
psychological effects it  has on them.  A child is very
impressionable and when they watch up to  5,000 hours by the
first grade, they will most likely mimic some of what  they see. 
Warnings of indecent content in programming will not phase a 
childs desire to watch the show unless a parent is there to
explain to  the child why they shouldn't see that particular
show.
     The more positive activity that is protrayed on television,
the  more children will imitate socially acceptable behavior. 
Indirectly,  programmers do have an affect on children who watch
significant amounts  of television.  The violence in chldren's
programming is disturbing  because it is a direct ploy to get the
children to watch a program.  The  more children they get to
watch their shows the more advertisers will pay  to have their
commercials aired and the broadcast stations get wealthier 
because of it.  Parents need to explain what television is about
so that  children know not to mimic it until suitable children's
programming is  aired.

Yours truly,
Seth Moore smoore1@ic3.ithaca.edu


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