The Parents Television Council recently released a study indicating that the major networks are misleadingly labeling programs aired during the traditional family hour. These results raise real questions about the reliability of the ratings, and I want to challenge my friend Jack Valenti, who reports there have been few complaints from parents about the application of the ratings, to investigate the PTC s concerns and closely examine whether Hollywood is leveling with America s families about the content of television programming. Last but not least, parents need the help of NBC, which unfortunately has refused to use the content-based ratings the rest of their broadcasting brethren adopted last October. By holding out this way, NBC is denying parents the information they will need to block out unwanted programming and thereby defying the spirit of the V-chip law that was passed by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both houses, leaving us to wonder whether the Peacock is putting its pride before the public interest. At the end of the day, though, what America s families really look forward to is better television, the kind they won t need the V-chip to block out.
Today is progress.
That will be the day of celebration.