US TV Content Ratings System Failed To Protect Children, Study Claims

The current TV content ratings system in the United States has failed to protect children from watching inappropriate content, according to a study conducted by the advocacy group Parents TV Council (PTC). The non-partisan education organization said that the system is deceiving parents because of its flaws.

The Guardian reports that PTC, which is committed to protecting children and families from inappropriate content in the media, drew its conclusions by looking at the four major commercial broadcast networks in the U.S., including NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox. The study was conducted in line with the TV content ratings system's 20^th anniversary, which was created and implemented under the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

PTC found that regular TV-G-rated primetime series are extinct among the four major TV networks. It also discovered that lines between TV-PG and TV-14-rated shows are blurred while adult content is present on TV-PG-rated shows. Overall, PTC noticed that TV shows have been increasingly showcasing more nudity and violence.

"Parents who rely on the TV content ratings system to make informed decisions about what to watch on television have been deceived," PTC president Tim Winter said in a statement. He added that the results of the study show that the 20-year-old TV content ratings system has failed to give accurate and dependable information. These flaws have made parents allow their children to watch TV shows with graphic sex, violence and profanity.

Winter attributed the flawed system to the fact that TV networks are rating their own shows, which results in an inherent conflict of interest. He said that TV ratings review board should be fully independent from the network.

With the findings, PTC is calling for an overhaul in the TV industry. The organization is urging parents, public health advocates, the congress and the FCC to demand for a TV content ratings system that will truly meet the needs of parents and families.

Early last month, PTC has lambasted ABC's biblical drama "Of Kings and Prophets" for its graphic content which is not family-friendly. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the organization said that the miniseries, which is based on the Bible, appeared to be edgy and explicit, instead of reaching out to a wider audience that includes children.