As you all know, the FCC headquarters building is hardly a monument. Also, I am not nearly as good looking as the Sean Connery look-alike they depict. And, for the record, I do not have a southern accent. The clip is certainly a clever and irreverent lampoon of me, the agency, the public interest groups, and our new kidvid rules. Yes, I even enjoyed it.
Parody is also one of the most sincere forms of flattery, or at least respect.
This television season, all these kids and families across the country will have the opportunity to tune into the new and exciting educational and informational shows designed specifically for kids. I for one am happy to report that my family has already found a new favorite in ABC's new Science Court. In fact, last week on NPR's Talk of the Nation , Science Court creator Tom Snyder noted that had it not been for the new FCC three-hour requirement, he would not have had the opportunity or the incentive to put Science Court on the air. Last August, we adopted clear and concrete rules to encourage the development and promotion of TV programming that would be both welcomed by parents and watched by children. The rules that took effect this month give television broadcasters concrete guidance on what programs will satisfy the requirement that they air programs that specifically serve the educational and informational needs of children, and require broadcasters to air at least three hours of this programming every week.