Ten Years Ago... TV Ratings To Have 6 Vague Levels

TV Ratings To Have 6 Vague Levels
[SOURCE: Washington Post 12/10/1997, AUTHOR: Paul Farhi]
Farhi offered a look at the TV ratings system being developed as result of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Ratings under consideration were: TV-K, suitable for all children, TV-K7, suitable for children over 7; TV-G, for general audiences; TV-PG, suggested parental guidance; TV-14, unsuitable for children under 14; and TV-M, for mature audiences only. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), who pushed for this portion of the 1996 Act and will become House Telecom Subcommittee Chairman in 2007, didn't like the proposed system. He said that most programming would fall under TV-PG which he says really stands for "Too Vague -- Parents Give Up." A show's rating would be determined by the TV networks and the syndicators that originate the shows -- unlike the motion picture industry which has an independent board set ratings.
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