97-43 SPR
Updated April 14, 1998
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
V-Chip and TV Ratings: Helping Parents
Supervise Their Children's Television Viewing
Marcia S. Smith
Specialist in Aerospace and Telecommunications Policy
Science, Technology, and Medicine Division
Summary
To assist parents in supervising the television viewing habits of their children,
Congress included a provision in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104)
that television sets with screens 13 inches or larger sold in the United States be equipped
with a "V-chip" to screen out objectionable programming. A V-chip is a computer chip
that can detect program ratings information that is transmitted with the television signal
(broadcast or cable) and block the display of programs designated as unacceptable by
parents. Use of the V-chip by parents is optional. In March 1998, the Federal
Communications Commission approved technical standards for the V-chip and directed
that manufacturers include V-chip technology in at least half of their product models by
July 1, 1999 and the other half by January 1, 2000. At the same time, the Commission
approved a program ratings system developed and now used by most of the television
industry. An age-based ratings system was announced in December 1996. In July 1997
it was revised to add specific designators indicating why a program received a certain
rating: S (sex), V (violence), L (language), D (dialogue), or FV (fantasy violence). One
major broadcast network (NBC) continues to use the original system, refusing to adopt
the revised system because it feels it is a step on the path to government censorship. One
major cable network, BET, does not use any ratings system. Congress continues to
monitor implementation of the V-chip closely. This report will be updated if needed.
Requirement for a V-chip
Section 551 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104, February 8,
1996) requires that all new television sets with a picture screen 13 inches or greater
(measured diagonally) sold in the United States be equipped with a device that can block
certain television programming. Dubbed the "V-chip" for "violence chip," the intent is to
give parents more control over what their children see on television. On March 12, 1998,
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that manufacturers must
include V-chip technology in at least half of their product models with a 13-inch or larger
screen by July 1, 1999, and the other half by January 1, 2000. The FCC adopted technical
standards for the V-chip at that time and also approved the ratings system that enables the
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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V-chip to work. Some companies plan to offer devices that can work with existing TV
sets.
The V-chip is a computer chip that reads an electronic code transmitted with the
television signal (cable or broadcast) indicating how a program is rated. Using a remote
control, parents can enter a password and then program into the television set which
ratings are acceptable and which are unacceptable. The chip automatically blocks the
display of any programs deemed unacceptable. Estimates of how much a V-chip would
add to the cost of a television set range from pennies to $40. Use of the V-chip b
1
y
parents is entirely optional.
The V-chip can be adapted from chips used for closed-captioning. The ratings data
will be sent on line 21 of the Vertical Blanking Interval found in the National Television
System Committee (NTSC) signals used for U.S. television broadcasting. (Devices already
are available for blocking access to specific television channels, or during certain time
periods.
2 Also, households with digital satellite television can block out movies, since the
movie ratings are digitally transmitted with the movie.)
Establishing a Ratings System
The first step in implementing the law was creating a ratings system for television
programs, not unlike how movies have been rated since 1968 by the Motion Picture
Association of America (MPAA). The law urged the television industry to develop a
voluntary ratings system acceptable to the FCC, and the rules for transmitting the rating,
within one year of enactment. Although the "V" is for violence, the ratings system actually
is intended to reflect "sexual, violent or other indecent material about which parents should
be informed before it is displayed to children, provided that nothing in this paragraph
should be construed to authorize any rating of video programming on the basis of its
political or religious content" [section 551(b)(1)].
After initial opposition, media and entertainment industry executives met with
President Clinton on February 29, 1996, and agreed to develop the ratings system because
of political pressure to do so. Many in the television industry are opposed to the V-chip,
fearing that it will reduce viewership and hurt advertising. They also question whether it
violates the First Amendment. Industry executives said they would not challenge the law
immediately, but left the option open for the future (the law provides for expedited judicial
review).
Beginning in March 1996, a group of television industry executivesunder the
leadership of Jack Valenti, President of the MPAA (who created the movie ratings), met
to develop a ratings system similar to that used with movies.3 Details were released on
1Dow Jones News Service (via AP), March 5, 1996, 03:53 PET quotes estimates of "from
pennies to $10 a set." Broadcasting and Cable, February 12, 1996, p. 24 quotes "$5 [to] $40."
Communications Daily, July 21, 1997, p. 4, cites "pennies per set."
See
2
Broadcasting and Cable, February 12, 1996, p. 24 for a list of some of those devices.
3The group included the national broadcast networks; independent, affiliated and public
(continued...)

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December 19, 1996 showing six age-based ratings (TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14
and TV-M) with text explanations of what each rating represented in terms of program
content. In January 1997, the ratings began appearing in the upper left-hand corner of the
screen for 15 seconds at the beginning of programs. They also are published in some
television guides. Thus, the ratings system is in use even though V-chips are not yet
installed. News shows and sports are not rated (the Valenti group does not consider talk
shows or programs about show business and reports on public figures and other issues of
general interest to be news). All other programs are rated by the broadcast and cable
networks and producers of programs. Local broadcast affiliates can override the rating
given a particular show.
Critics of the December 1996 proposal, including some Members of Congress and
groups such as the National Parent-Teacher Association, argued that the ratings provided
no information on why a particular program received a certain rating. Some advocated
an "S-V-L" system (sex, violence, language) to indicate with letters why a program got
a particular rating, possibly with a numeric indicator or jointly with an age-based rating.
Another alternative was the Home Box Office/Showtime system of ten ratings such as MV
(mild violence), V (violence), and GV (graphic violence). Critics also argued that having
industry rate its own programming lacked credibility. Mr. Valenti countered there is no
practical alternative to rating approximately 2,000 hours of programming per day.
The Current “S-V-L-D” Ratings System
In response to the criticism, most of the television industry agreed to a revised ratings
system (see box) on July 10, 1997 that went into effect Oct. 1, 1997. The revised ratings
system adds designators that indicate whether a program received a particular rating
because of sex (S), violence (V), language (L), or suggestive dialogue (D). A designator
for fantasy violence (FV) was added for children's programming in the TV-Y7 category.
The ratings are larger and appear for a longer period of time. Mr. Valenti chairs a 23-
member Oversight Monitoring Board to ensure "accuracy, uniformity and consistency" in
the applications of ratings. Five non-industry members were added to the original 19
members as part of the July 10 agreement. The Board had not met as of the end of 1997,
however, because no complaints had been registered.4
MPAA, the National Association of Broadcasters, and the National Cable Television
Association submitted the original industry proposal to the FCC on January 17, 1997. The
revised proposal was submitted on August 1, 1997. A public comment period was open
from September 9 to October 6 on the revised proposal. On March 12, 1998, the FCC
approved the revised ratings system (along with the V-chip technical standards and
effective date for installing them discussed earlier).
3(...continued)
television stations; cable programmers; producers and distributors of cable programming;
entertainment and movie studios; and members of the creative guilds representing writers, directors,
producers and actors.
4 Communications Daily, December 22, 1997: 6.

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U.S. TELEVISION INDUSTRY'S REVISED TV RATINGS SYSTEM
The following categories apply to programs designed solely for children:
TV-Y:
All Children. This program is designed to be appropriate for all 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:
Directed to Older Children. This program is designed for children age 7 and above. 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 violence 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 in other programs in this category, such programs will be
designated TV-Y7-FV.
The following categories apply to programs designed for the entire audience:
TV-G:
General Audience. Most parents would find this program suitable for all ages. 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. This program contains material that parents may find
unsuitable for younger children. 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:
Parents Strongly Cautioned. This program contains some material that many parents
would find unsuitable for children under 14 years of age. 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 Audience Only. This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and
therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17. This program contains one or more of
the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activity (S), or crude indecent language
(L).
Source: Letter to the Federal Communications Commission submitting proposed rating system
revision, August 1, 1997. (Signed by the presidents of the Motion Picture Association of America,
National Cable Television Association, and National Association of Broadcasters).
105 Congress
th
The 105 Congress has b
th
een deeply involved in the TV ratings debate both formally
and informally. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee held a
hearing on February 27, 1997. On May 19, Representative Tauzin, chairman of the
telecommunications subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee, chaired a public
forum on the subject in Peoria, IL. Three bills regarding TV ratings and the V-chip have
been introduced. S. 363 (Hollings et al.) and H.R. 910 (Markey et al.), often called the

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"safe harbor" bills, would not permit violent programming to be shown (with some
exceptions) during hours when children comprise a large portion of the audience unless
it could be screened out by a V-chip specifically on the basis of its violence. The Hollings
bill was reported from the Senate Commerce Committee September 25, 1997 (S.Rept.
105-89). S. 409 (Coats) would require broadcast television stations to use a content-
based ratings system as a condition of obtaining or renewing their licenses. Concerned
that Congress would attempt to pass further legislation even if they agreed to change the
ratings system, industry representatives sought and were given assurances by many of the
principal House and Senate critics not to move forward with legislation on ratings,
content, or scheduling for several years in exchange for the revised ratings system. Some
key Senators did not agree to a legislative moratorium, however, including Senator
Hollings who has stated that he hopes to bring S. 363 to the Senate floor for a vote.
Congressional attention is focused today on convincing NBC and Black
Entertainment Television (BET) to use the revised ratings. They are the only two major
broadcast or cable networks who reject the revised ratings (BET also rejected the original
ratings). NBC says it believes the ultimate aim of the ratings is to dictate programming
content, infringing on its First Amendment rights. The network says it will only use the
revised ratings if the public demands it, and continues to use the original ratings
augmented by parental advisories. Other groups also oppose or are skeptical of the
revised system for varying reasons, including the Directors Guild of America, the Writers
Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild, some syndicators, and Morality in Media, Inc.
Other Countries
Violence on television is not unique to the United States, and other countries also are
debating the V-chip concept. The V-chip is often said to have been invented in Canada.5
The Action Group on Violence on Television (AGVOT) was charged by the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) with developing
a nationwide ratings system. AGVOT tested one during 1996 in which each program had
a four-digit rating indicating a level of 0-5 for age, and for violent, language and sexual
content. For example, a program rated 3234 would indicate age level 3 (adult 16+),
violence level 2 (mild), language level 3 (coarse), and sexuality level 4 (full nudity).
AGVOT withdrew this experimental system in December 1996 because of technical
problems and difficulty in deciding how to rate certain programs. Others in Canada
complained that it was too complicated, or that the Canadian system should be compatible
with the one used in the United States since so much U.S. TV programming is seen in
Canada. In April 1997, AGVOT proposed a new system that is quite similar to the Valenti
group's original proposal except that it adds a category for exempt programming. CRTC
adopted the ratings on June 18, 1997. The Canadian TV Ratings (CTR) are: CTR-E
(exempt, including news, sports, documentaries, talk shows, other informational
programming, music videos, variety); CTR-C (for children 8 and younger); CTR-8+ (for
children over 8); CTR-FAM (family viewing); CTS-PA (parental guidance); CTR-14+ (for
those over 14); and CTR-18+ (for adults). Each is accompanied by text explaining what
the rating indicates, especially in terms of violence.
A
5
history of Canada's interest in reducing violence on television and the V-chip can be found
at the following World Wide Web site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/tv1e.htm.

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Canada's implementation of the V-chip proceeded more slowly than anticipated. In
March 1996, CRTC had directed the broadcast industry to encode programs with ratings
beginning on September 6, 1996. By January 1997, television distributors and cable
companies were to ensure that foreign signals they broadcast also were encoded (70% of
Canada's television programming originates in the United States). CRTC postponed these
dates in October 1996, however, with rating and encoding to be in effect for the fall 1997
season and the foreign signal requirement extended until September 1997. The ratings
system went into effect for English-language and specialty programming on September 29,
1997. French-language and premium programming will continue to use their own
established ratings systems.
Other countries also have been looking at the issue. In 1996, Britain's then-National
Heritage Secretary, Virginia Bottomley, asked British broadcasters to monitor the U.S.
ratings system and report back to her, and also was assessing the technical feasibility of the
V-chip. The position of the new British government on this issue is unclear. European
Union culture ministers debated the issue following a call from the European Parliament
to institute a V-chip requirement, but the EC Council decided instead to study the matter
further. Australia announced new censorship controls following the Port Arthur massacre
in April 1996 where 35 people were killed. The massacre sparked a debate about violence
on television and in the entertainment industry. Among the new controls is a V-chip
requirement in new television sets.
Conclusion
The effect of television violence on society, especially children, has been long
debated.6 What effect the V-chip ultimately may have on television viewing is
controversial. Supporters claim that since television producers will want their shows to
be viewed in as many households as possible, they will reduce the level of violence in the
programs. Critics complain that television will become lackluster. Other opponents assert
that if one violent scene will earn a program a bad rating, then producers will feel free to
have more violence in any program since it will be blocked anyway, hence increasing the
overall violence level. Others argue that many older children will be able to defeat the
password-protected system and change what their parents have programmed. Or they
could watch a smaller than 13-inch TV set.
Skeptics have noted that the ratings system does not appear to have had a significant
impact on viewing habits so far.7 However, the ratings are not yet coupled with the V-
chip. To date, the ratings are only symbols that briefly appear on the TV screen and may
be printed in some TV listings. The effect of the system may increase once parents are
able to program the TV set not to display programs with certain ratings.
Virtually everyone agrees that the V-chip is no panacea. Ultimately, parents must
take responsibility for their children's viewing habits. TV ratings and the V-chip are
merely tools to assist them.
6See: Television Violence and its Effect on Society: An Updated Overview, by Edith F.
Cooper and Marcia S. Smith. CRS Report 95-144 SPR, May 13, 1996. 34 p.
7Paul Fahrl, Viewers’ Mute Response, Washington Post, February 25, 1998: D1, 3.

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