Tighter TV laws wanted in U.S.

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33776, 24 February 1975, Page 4

Tighter TV laws wanted in U.S.

CV ZP A Staff Gorreifpondem

WASHINGTON. February 20. America’s Federal Communications Commission is moving to tighten laws covering obscenitx and violence in television programmes.

In a 10-page report to Congress the commission said it would seek legislation making it a crime to depict obscene or indecent material on television. The reason for its decision was uncertainty that exist ing law gave the comi ' sion authority to proceed against' “the video depiction of obscene or indecent material." The commission did not spell out what programmes would be considered obscene or indecent, but it is report ■ edly concerned at the prospect that films rated as suitable for adults only mav soon be shown regularly on TV screens. Some have recently been programmed ' on cable television here. Sex and violence are given ' as the grounds of complaint by most of the 25,000 people who last year protested to the commission about tht standard of U.S. television i

programmes. The number v as up from 2000 in 1972. The commission emphasised in its report that it did not intend to adopt any harsh Government regu'atory standards and preferred “seif regulation." Over recent months the commission has been exerting pressure on the television industry here to take particular care that its peakviewing programmes are -uitable for children tr watch. One result has been a dec laration by all of the three major networks. C. 8.5.. N.B.C. and A.B.C. that a two hour period — 7 p m. to 9 p.m. in the capital — would become a "family viewing” period. All programming during •he period is to be appropriate for young children, ind. in addition, throughou' , ach evening’s viewing net

works give warnings when they feel an upcoming programme may not be suitable for children. The commission made it clear that it foresaw man\ difficulties in trying to limit violent and sexually oriented programming, which was neither obscene nor indecent. "Any rule-making in these areas would require finding an appropriate balance between the need to protect children from harmful material and the adult audience's interest in diverse j rogramming,” it states.