Commissioner O'Rielly Statement on Reviewing the Kid Vid Rules

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has asked me to lead the agency’s review of the stringent requirements the FCC imposes on our nation’s broadcasters to air a certain amount of educational and informational children’s programming on a weekly basis, otherwise known as Kid Vid. I am pleased to accept his request. The Commission is currently undergoing a comprehensive proceeding to modernize our media regulations, and Kid Vid is due for such an examination within the bounds of the law.

My goal in reviewing the Kid Vid rules is to understand whether the rules the Commission imposed on broadcasters to carry out the Children’s Television Act – in many cases more than two decades ago – still make sense in today’s media marketplace and whether these rules enhance or hamper the family broadcast experience. Specifically, since 1990, we have seen a proliferation of media platforms, including cable networks, over the top providers, and premium channels, that, though not subject to Kid Vid, offer competitive or vastly superior children’s programming.

I thank the Chairman for his support on this endeavor and invite all parties, including family group representatives and evangelical organizations, with which I have already had some good dialogue, to share their viewpoints on this topic. I look forward to a thoughtful, substantive discussion going forward.