Too many parents become frustrated because they feel overwhelmed by the high velocity of perceived change in the assumed normalities of daily living. They feel pressed to the wall because of circumstances over which they have no control. No wonder they nod in agreement when some public officials give voice to parental perplexities, and insist that children are sliding down a slippery slope pockmarked by the bombardment of TV's soiling intrusions. But most thoughtful parents understand all too clearly how metaphysically untidy our society has become. They recognize that the simplicity of blaming TV for our ailments is a delusion.
Most parents know there are no easy answers in a complicated social environment.
They know there are no instant remedies for their anxieties, no 'quick fix' available, though we ache to find one. No wonder we are vexed. No wonder too many of our hopes are imperfectly represented in reality. Helping parents guide the TV watching of their very young children is one small step in that direction. On February 29, this year, at the invitation of the President, representatives of every segment of our industry assembled in the White House and in the presence of the President and the Vice President of the United States we offered our commitment to TV program ratings.