TV Censorship

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by dzfan
I am sure that most TV are but I think that most parents don't know how to set them but I was looking through the TV Watch site and it looks like it is pretty easy. It is as "easy as toast"

http://www.televisionwatch.org/site/...C49F7}&notoc=1

Went to that link and laughed out loud when I read this:

The TV ratings system is an easy-to-understand guide to the content of all TV shows, and is the first place parents should look for information about shows their children are viewing.

The ratings are grouped into two categories: shows designed for children and general ratings. Shows designed for children are rated with a Y—TV-Y, TV-Y7 and TV-Y7-FV (fantasy violence). The general ratings are similar to the movie ratings: TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14 and TV-MA. While many of these programs may be appropriate for children, they are not designed specifically for children. A travel program, for example, might be rated TV-G.

In addition to these designations, the TV ratings include content descriptors that provide additional information for parents: V (violence), FV (fantasy violence), S (sexual situations), L (coarse language) and D (suggestive dialogue).

Not that the TV rating system is incomprehensible, but to say that it is "an easy-to-understand guide" is laughable. The movie rating system is easy to understand; the TV rating system is too complicated, especially when you're dealing with people who have trouble programming a VCR. Nor have I found the TV ratings to be very helpful or reliable. Not infrequently, I've found the rating and the reality of a show to be off the mark.

I'm all for parents having responsibility for what their kids watch, and Ms. MysticCat and I take that responsibility seriously -- starting by limiting "screen time" (TV, computer or video) period. But as a parent, I haven't found the TV rating system to be particularly helpful.