Since 1996, broadcast and cable networks and producers had
to voluntarily rate their television shows, movies, and events. News and sports
were the only exceptions.
Over the past few years, television series about serial
killers have become increasingly popular. Series like Dexter, Criminal Minds, The Following, Bates Motel, and Hannibal
have the rating of TV-14 meaning that the show’s contents are inappropriate for
children under the age of 14. Two of those movies – Bates Motel and Hannibal
– were based on their R rated movie counterparts. Why do two parallel
television series have a rating that is less than their movie counterparts?
According to the TV Parental Guidelines, broadcast and cable
networks and producers are the ones who rate the television shows. After an extensive Google, Bing, and Yahoo search, I was
unable to find what particular guidelines are in place that determines
which rating should go with the television series, movie, or event. I was not able
to find any information regarding on the timeframe that TV-14 rated television
series are allowed to air. Since all the shows mentioned are aired after 9 p
.m, I logically deduced that the timeframe would have to be 9 p.m. or later. Perhaps the reason is that networks and
producers assumed that parents would have their children in bed by 9 p.m. The
problem is that today many parents don’t have a schedule time for their
children to go to bed. Also, children don’t need a television to view a
television show, movie, or event. All they need is a device they can connect to
the Internet, and on a television website (the network’s, Hulu, Netflix, etc.)
is the show, movie, or event the child wanted to watch.
The Parents Television Council wants AMC’s show The Walking Dead’s rating TV-14 to be
changed to M. I don’t watch The Walking Dead. It’s a zombie show. Of
course, it will have graphic, brutal, and gory violent images. The Parents Television
Council doesn’t have a problem allowing children ages 14 and up to watch shows
like Hannibal, but they have a
problem with a show about zombies? Serial killer shows are based on human psychology
and actual events in human history. Zombies only exist in myth and legend. Does
the Parent Television Council state that it is o.k. for a fourteen-year-old to watch a
show with violent and graphic images as long as it is based on actual history?
Why should the broadcasting networks be worried about ratings higher than TV-14? Cable networks can air shows with virtually any rating. It all comes down to money. Broadcast networks rely only on advertisers; however, cable networks rely on fees paid by the cable companies and advertisersThe rating TV-14 is the maximum rating any broadcast network can have. The competition is fearsome because the cable networks are not their only rivals. Television shows, movies, and events can be viewed through virtually any technology with an Internet connection. Internet television series are beginning to form, and it will not be long before there will be stations that are only viewed on the Internet. Most adults don’t like watching shows that their children watch all the time. Shows like Hannibal, The Following, and Criminal Minds are aimed at the adult viewers. If these shows are forced to change their ratings, then they cannot be aired on the broadcasting stations. Without the adult viewers, the broadcasting stations will not last eventually resulting in no more free television.
Are the networks and producers responsible for keeping
violent content away from children? What happened to the parent’s
responsibility for the child? These answers are not easy. With the failing
economy, the broadcasting stations are struggling, but on the other hand, networks
and producers do have a moral obligation to its viewers. In my opinion, the
networks and producers provide a rating, and it is up to the parent whether he or
she allows his or her child to view the show. In this technological society, the networks and producers cannot prevent people from viewing
their shows on television or the Internet. Children need a parent to guide them
in today’s society. Be parents, and when your children are old enough, then
become their friend.
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