SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The average American child watches 8,000
murders and 100,000 acts of violence on television
before finishing elementary school.
(2) Many of the poorest and potentially most
vulnerable groups in our society are the heaviest
viewers of television.
(3) Most of the violence on television is pre-
sented during times when children are likely to be
viewing.
(4) The television parental guidelines were de-
vised by the network industry and will be adminis-
tered by an oversight monitoring board comprised
only of representatives from the industry. Parental
and viewer input has been limited. In addition, the
broadcast and cable networks and local broadcasters
will assign the rating system to programs, thus lim-
iting parental and viewer input to focus groups.
(5) Numerous other studies establish a causal
connection between watching violence on television
and increasingly violent behavior of children.
SEC. 3. AMENDMENT.
Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 715. COMPILATION AND PUBLICATION OF COM-
PLAINTS CONCERNING VIOLENT PROGRAM-
MING AND TELEVISION RATING GUIDELINES.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF FACILITY FOR THE COL-
LECTION OF COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS.—The Com-
mission shall, within 6 months after the date of enactment
of this section, establish a toll-free number and a computer
network site for the collection of comments, suggestions,
and complaints from the public concerning—
‘‘(1) the transmission by broadcast stations or
cable systems of programming containing depictions
of violence and other patently offensive material; and
‘‘(2) television ratings guidelines established for
purposes of the blocking technology described in sec-
tion 303(x).
The Commission shall take such steps as may be necessary
to publicize such telephone number, such computer net-
work site, and the Commission’s functions under this sec-
tion, including by public service announcements.
‘‘(b) PUBLICATION
OF DATA CONCERNING COM-
PLAINTS.—The Commission shall publish in the Federal
Register, on a quarterly basis, a summary of the com-
ments, suggestions, and complaints received pursuant to
subsection (a) during the preceding period. Such summary
shall include—
‘‘(1) a breakdown of the complaints pursuant to
subsection (a)(1) by broadcast or cable network and
broadcast station, and by program name, date, and
time;
‘‘(2) an identification, with respect to the 50
programs for which the highest number of com-
plaints were received, of the production company,
the principal advertisers supporting network dis-
tribution, the broadcast or cable network and broad-
cast station, and the program name, date, and time;
and
‘‘(3) a statement of observed trends in such
complaints as compared with complaints received
during prior periods.
‘‘(c) AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS.—The Commission
shall transcribe the comments, suggestions, and com-
plaints received pursuant to this section and shall—
‘‘(1) transmit to each licensee any comments,
suggestions, or complaints made with respect to its
station; and
‘‘(2) make the transcribed comments, sugges-
tions, and complaints available for public inspection,
including inspection at the computer network site es-
tablished under subsection (a).
The Commission shall omit from any records transmitted
or made available under this subsection the name and ad-
dress of any caller requesting confidentiality.
‘‘(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Commission shall
include in each annual report to Congress under section
4(k) an analysis of the complaints received pursuant to
this section. Such analysis shall include—
‘‘(1) an evaluation of whether, consistent with
its obligations to serve the public interest and meet
the educational and informational need of children,
the broadcasting industry has effectively responded
to the comments, suggestions, and complaints re-
ceived pursuant to this section regarding video pro-
gramming containing depictions of violence and
other patently offensive material; and
‘‘(2) such recommendations as the Commission
considers appropriate to secure more conscientious
fulfillment of those obligations with regard to such
programming.’’.
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