Editorial

My husband and I decided not to get cable television until our children left for college. Although there were some worthwhile programs on cable TV, we knew there was plenty of junk, too. We felt it was better to wait until they were older to face those choices.

We also knew that some children were addicted to television. They sat glued in front of the TV set for hours and hours each day. We didn't want that for our kids. We encouraged them to be involved in outdoor activities and sports, to read, to do homework, and to spend time with family and friends.

They did NOT have televisions in their bedrooms. There was no television in the living room either. It was downstairs in the family room, where we often watched TV as a family.

Help for parents. Essentially, we tried to make sure that television did not dominate our lives. But I think it DOES dominate the lives of some people, including many children. And there's plenty of stuff on the "free" TV stations - let alone cable - that is definitely not suitable for children.

One excellent resource for parents - and all those concerned about the quality of television - is the Parents Television Council (PTC). It was founded in 1995 to help ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence, and profanity on television and in other media.

The PTC agrees that parents have the greatest responsibility when it comes to monitoring the viewing habits of their children. The PTC has a great Web site (www.parentstv.org) with plenty of information. Perhaps the most helpful is the "Family Guide to TV." The guide profiles every primetime sitcom and drama on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, UPN, the WB, and select cable channels. The PTC uses an easy "traffic light" rating system (red, yellow, and green) to signal a show's suitability for children based on language, violence, and sexual situations, as well as overall content.

Enforcing broadcast standards. The PTC also urges parents and other interested consumers to work with elected and appointed government officials to enforce broadcast decency standards. The PTC challenges actors, writers, producers, musicians, game-makers, and advertisers to get serious about the vital role they play in shaping America's culture.

The organization emphasizes that gratuitous sex, foul language, and violence on TV are having a negative effect on children. The PTC encourages the public to voice its support of family-friendly programming to network executives, advertisers, public policy leaders, and the creative community. It has helped save values-driven shows such as Doc and Joan of Arcadia and urge other shows to get rid of offensive content, including Coupling, Nip/Tuck, and Skin.

Bi-partisan bill in Senate. On July 19, the Parents Television Council praised the U.S. Senate's Commerce Committee for passing a bill introduced by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) that affirmed the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) ability to restrict the use of profanity and indecent images during times of the day when children are most likely to be watching television.

This bipartisan effort puts "the interests of families above the self-serving interests of the broadcast industry," said the PTC. The organization called on the full Senate to vote on this measure before the August recess.

I would encourage concerned people to contact Wisconsin Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl to support this measure. Go to www.parentstv.org for more information on how to take action.

We must monitor what's on television. Our children are watching! Don't they deserve better?

Mary C. Uhler

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