That's The American Way. But let's look at this situation from the perspective of parents. Research in fact shows that educational television really makes a difference in children's success later on in life. But if we want that wonderful stuff, all the rest comes into our homes automatically, too. Certainly, if 50's parents had known what television would become, this automatic delivery system would not have been so readily adopted.
Parents have very good reasons to want to exercise control.
But even putting the research aside for a moment, parents ought to have the fundamental right to choose what makes up their home environment. If they want to let in Sesame Street and Blues Clues while keeping out Jerry Springer, Howard Stern, and Sally Jesse Raphael, they should have that freedom. Here's where the v-chip should come in, but unfortunately, this device has been shunned by the industry. But it's a story that the industry is loath tell. The v-chip gives parents unprecedented power, power they richly deserve, but they cannot use their power if they don't hear about it.