Wisely, the TV Industry Moves Toward Policing Itself : New law and outcry on sex and violence may spur change

Uneasy over viewer discontent with sex and violence on TV, network bosses appear poised to offer a rating system on the content of their programs. Some critics are dismissing the move as self-serving or a preemptive strike against the possibility of government-imposed ratings. However, ratings could mark a historic shift for the networks, which traditionally have made content decisions on economic grounds--what sells--rather than on taste and quality.

Last week, Fox became the first of the networks to an- nounce it would begin labeling its programs for sexual and violent content, but it gave no start date or details of its plan. The other networks--ABC, CBS and NBC--have been discussing the possibility of developing their own rating systems and seeking a consensus with Hollywood studios, cable and other major players in the production end of the business. With the myriad new channels, and with children watching an average of 22 hours of television a week, the public outcry about raw content has been rising.

Altruism, however, is not the driving force behind the networks’ change in attitude toward voluntary ratings. The recently approved Telecommunications Reform Act provides for a government effort to establish content ratings to help parents screen out unwanted programming using a blocking device known as the V-chip. The federal law gives the TV industry a year to come up with a system. If it doesn’t, the Federal Communications Commission will form a panel to do the job. The networks clearly have heard the message.

Disclosure of the sudden self-monitoring efforts at the highest levels of the TV industry come as the top officials of the four networks and about a dozen cable executives are planning to meet with President Clinton Feb. 29 to discuss the program content issue. Clinton and others in Washington have called on the industry to turn down the sex-and-violence level.

Until this reversal, it was believed that television executives would challenge the V-chip and the rating requirements, citing the constitutional right of free speech. The industry’s concern is that a rating system would scare off advertisers, who might not want their products identified with material deemed unsuitable. But even the cable industry, whose programming is typically more violent and risque than the networks, has said it would support the V-chip and voluntary ratings.

The four networks have funded a three-year study by UCLA to assess TV content. The first report, recently released by the UCLA Center for Communication Policy, found that the networks’ prime-time series are showing “positive signs” of cutting back on violence. But while levels of brutality and mayhem in prime-time network television are not as bad as some feared, the gore and destruction still need to be reduced, according to the study. The UCLA report, based on nearly 3,000 hours of programming over the 1994-95 season, found that excessive violence was a particular problem in theatrical movies shown on TV, in children’s programming and in teasers broadcast to entice viewers to watch particular programs. The study did not deal with sexual content.

Other program-related areas that broadcasters need to examine include federal requirements for “educational” programming for children. Granted, the rules are vague, but it is irresponsible to fulfill this obligation, as some have, with the Jetsons, G.I. Joe, the Flintstones and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. These are educational?