NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:     NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: 
April 25, 2007    Clyde Ensslin (202) 418-0506
FCC ADOPTS REPORT ON VIOLENT TELEVISION PROGRAMMING 
AND ITS IMPACT ON CHILDREN
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released today a 
Report on the issue of excessively violent television programming and its impact on children.  
The FCC found that research indicates exposure to violence in the media can increase aggressive 
behavior in children, at least in the short term. Given this finding, the FCC recommends that 
action should be taken to address violent programming.
The Report released today responds to a request from the U.S House of Representatives 
Committee on Energy and Commerce that the FCC undertake an inquiry on television violence.  
Specifically, Congress asked the Commission to consider the harm that excessively violent 
programming has upon children; whether it would be in the public interest for the Commission to 
formulate a definition of “excessively violent programming that is harmful to children” and to 
regulate such programming; and if so, what would be the definition and measures for limiting 
excessively violent programming most likely to be sustained in court.
In its Report, the FCC:
· agrees with the views expressed by the Surgeon General, and finds that, on 
balance, research provides strong evidence that exposure to violence in the media 
can increase aggressive behavior in children, at least in the short term.  
· notes that while viewer-initiated blocking and mandatory ratings would impose 
lesser burdens on protected speech, and is skeptical that they will fully serve the 
government’s interests in promoting parental supervision and protecting the well-
being of minors.
· believes that the V-chip is of limited effectiveness in protecting children from 
violent television content.
· observes that cable operator-provided advanced parental controls do not appear to 
be available on a sufficient number of cable-connected television sets to be 
considered an effective solution at this time.  
· believes that further action to enable viewer-initiated blocking of violent 
television content would serve the government’s interests in protecting the well-
being of children and facilitating parental supervision and would be reasonably 
likely to be upheld as constitutional.
· finds that studies and surveys demonstrate that the voluntary TV ratings system is 
of limited effectiveness in protecting children from violent television content.  
· believes that Congress could develop an appropriate definition of excessively 
violent programming, but such language needs to be narrowly tailored and in 
conformance with judicial precedent.
· suggests that industry could on its own initiative commit itself to reducing the 
amount of excessively violent programming viewed by children (e.g., 
broadcasters could adopt a family hour at the beginning of prime time, during 
which they decline to air violent content).  
· observes that multichannel video programming providers (MVPDs) could provide 
consumers greater choice in how they purchase their programming so that they 
could avoid violent programming. (e.g., an a la carte regime would enable viewers 
to buy their television channels individually or in smaller bundles).
· finds that Congress could implement a time channeling solution and/or mandate 
some other form of consumer choice in obtaining video programming, such as the 
provision by MVPDs of video channels provided on family tiers or on an a la 
carte basis (e.g., channel blocking and reimbursement). 
Action by the Commission.
--FCC--
Media Bureau Contacts: Holly Saurer (202) 418-2120