Senators tell FCC that Kids TV Mandate Must Stay

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Led by children's TV legislation author Sen Ed Markey (D-MA) a group of Democratic senators  have called on the Federal Communications Commission to leave its kids TV mandates in place. "Kid Vid’ rules remain important today, especially for the many underserved families who rely on free broadcast stations for educational content,” they wrote. “Many families cannot access or afford the broadband speeds necessary for streaming online video and have trouble paying for monthly pay-TV subscription services," the senators wrote. "The ‘Kid Vid’ rules (and especially the mandatory programming hours requirement) make sure that these children have access to quality content to help them learn and thrive in school.”

They also said weakening the rules could lead to the end of limits on commercial duration and mandates on separation between advertising and programming content--the sort of host-selling that was common on TV before the rules. Given that the separation is blurring in online videos, they argue, broadcasters must be held to their current higher standard. They included implicit criticism of broadband speeds and pricing.   Also signing the letter, which was sent to the FCC chairman and other commissioners, are Sens Bill Nelson (D-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Jack Reed (D-RI).


Democratic Sens: Kids TV Mandate Must Stay