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The TV Parental Guidelines system was introduced on January 1, 1997 in the United States as a ratings system established for television programs to be screened for possibly offensive content. It was established by the Federal Communications Commission in response to public outcry over an apparently increasing trend toward overtly sexual and violent content in TV programming. The ratings system was specifically designed to be used with the V-chip.
The ratings
- TV-Y (suitable for young children)
- Whether animated or live-action, the themes and elements in this program are specifically designed for a very young audience, including children from ages 2-6. This program is not expected to frighten younger children.
- TV-Y7 (may not be suitable for children under 7)
- It may be more appropriate for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish between make-believe and reality. Themes and elements in this program may include mild fantasy or comedic violence, or may frighten children under the age of 7. Therefore, parents may wish to consider the suitability of this program for their very young children. Note: For those programs where fantasy violence may be more intense or more combative than other programs in this category, such programs will be designated TV-Y7-FV.
Another Note: Some TV-Y7-rated programs may contain cuss words as high as "piss".
- TV-G (suitable for all audiences)
- Although this rating does not signify a program designed specifically for children, most parents may let younger children watch this program unattended. It contains little or no violence, no strong language and little or no sexual dialogue or situations.
- TV-PG (parental guidance suggested)
- Many parents may want to watch it with their younger children. The theme itself may call for parental guidance and/or the program contains one or more of the following: moderate violence (V), some sexual situations (S), infrequent coarse language (L), or some suggestive dialogue (D).
- TV-14 (parental guidance strongly recommended; not for children under 14)
- Parents are strongly urged to exercise greater care in monitoring this program and are cautioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended. This program contains one or more of the following: intense violence (V), intense sexual situations (S), strong coarse language (L), or intensely suggestive dialogue (D).
- TV-MA (mature; not for audiences under 17)
- This program contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activity (S), or crude indecent language (L).
The problem was that the ratings tended to be inconsistent and vary from channel to channel, if a program switched networks, or from showing to showing.
By September 1997, the ratings were revamped to include extra letter designations:
- V (violence)
- FV (fantasy violence)
- D (suggestive dialogue)
- L (questionable language)
- S (sexual content)
They are used in conjunction with the V-chip, a device inside new television receivers that a parent or guardian can program to block material they deem unsuitable. The chip is built into all TVs manufactured since 1997 and can be activated with the remote control.
The ratings have drawn a lot of fire from many groups in the public and private sector, since no one can seem to agree on just what quantifies a D and what an L, to say nothing of how effective they are in keeping children from watching the wrong programming. Data as to the ratings' merit remains inconclusive.
Canadian ratings
In the wake of the American ratings system, the Canadian TV Classification System was created for English-language programmers to use in conjunction with the V-chip. This system differs somewhat from the American version:
- C: programming suitable for children under the age of 8 years. No profanity or sexual content of any level allowed. Minimal comedic violence; nothing realistic.
- C8: suitable for children over the age of 8. Low intensity violence and fantasy horror allowed. No foul language but occasional "socially offensive and discriminatory" language allowed if in the context of the story. No sex or nudity.
- G: General. Similar to the Canadian/American movie rating of the same name; programming suitable for the entire family with minimal violence, and no profanity or sexual content.
- PG: Parental Guidance. Again, similar to the movie rating of the same name. Moderate use of violence and mild profanity allowed, as is brief nudity and sexual references if important to a storyline.
- 14+: programming intended for viewers over the age of 14. May contain intense scenes of violence, strong profanity, and depictions of sexual activity within the context of a story.
- 18+: equivalent to the TV-MA rating, allowing strong violence, language, and sexual activity. This rating has been applied to occasional cable broadcasts of pornographic films.
Australia and New Zealand
Australia's and New Zealand's rating only slightly differ from their other counterparts.
Australia's ratings are:
P: Programmes best suited to pre-school children.
C: Programmes best suited to children aged 6-14.
G: Programmes that are suitable, but not intended, for a child audience.
PG: Parental guidance is recommended for younger children.
M: Recommended for mature audiences, such as ages 14.5 and up.
MA: Content is handled in a way to make it unsuitable for minors under the age of 16.
AV: Adult violent.
New Zealand's ratings are:
G: Programmes exclude material likely to harm children under 14 and can screen at any time.
PGR: Programmes are more suited to older people but aren't necessarily unsuitable for children, and can screen between 9 AM - 4 PM and 7 PM - 6 AM.
AO: Content is handled in such a way that it is unsuitable for children, and can screen between noon and 3 PM on a school day, and between 8:30 PM - 5 AM. Some programmes exceed the guidelines and have special notes like AO 9:30 PM or later when breast might appear on the television screen.
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