Published online June 1, 2007
PEDIATRICS Vol. 119 No. 6 June 2007, pp. 1259-1261 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-0126)

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My File Cabinet Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Freed, R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Freed, R. Related Collections Office Practice Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Pulling the Plug on Entertainment Industry Ratings

Richard Freed, PhD
Department of Mental Health
Kaiser Permanente Medical Offices
Antioch, CA 94509

To the Editor.—

As recently as 2006, US Congressional hearings have explored problems with the entertainment industry's rating of violent content in video games, movies, and television (TV).^1,2 The ratings developed by the media industry classify glamorized media violence as appropriate for young children—a position that is inconsistent with the scientific consensus about the negative effects of media violence and contradicts American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) media policy. I suggest that the AAP discontinue its endorsement of parents’ use of the entertainment industry ratings.

As the established leader among medical organizations in children's media issues, the AAP plays an important role in helping parents make effective decisions about their children's media use. The AAP's advice to parents regarding violent media content is especially important, because the pathologic effects of such media have been established within the scientific community.³

Problems related to children's exposure to media violence, including increased real-life violence, were articulated by the AAP and other health organizations in the "Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children."⁴ This statement identified particular risks associated with media violence that is glamorized. Media violence is glamorized by depicting it in a positive light, such as when it is rewarded or perpetrated by children's role models.

Entertainment industry ratings do not accurately convey the risks associated with children's exposure to glamorized media violence. A study of video games that the industry has rated E (may be appropriate for children aged 6 years and up) found that 60% of the games tested required players to hurt characters in return for rewards or advancement.⁵ TV and movie ratings similarly indicate that media with high levels of glamorized violence are suitable for young children.^6,7

Problems with entertainment industry ratings have led the AAP to recommend, in its "Media Violence" policy statement, that a new rating system be developed that helps parents make healthy media choices for their children.³ Similarly, organizations including the National Institute on Media and the Family, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association have said that the current ratings are not protecting children's health, and they advocate a new ratings system.⁸

The entertainment industry has resisted changing its rating system, most likely because of the advantages these ratings provide the industry. Because ratings may have an impact on the revenues gained from a particular media product, it is in the industry's interests to apply its own ratings.⁹ The current rating system has also served the industry as a public relations tool when defending itself for producing violent products¹⁰ and marketing them to children.^11,12

Despite its own policy and the significant problems with the current rating system, the AAP suggests (in a public education brochure for parents) that parents use entertainment industry ratings as an effective means for guiding their children's media use. The AAP instructs, "Look for ratings and warning labels. Use them to make smart decisions about what your child sees and hears."¹³ Moreover, the AAP implicitly endorses the entertainment industry ratings by placing the video game, movie, and TV rating icons and descriptions on its Web site for use by parents.^13–16 For example, on the AAP's "Entertainment Rating System: Video and Computer Games,"¹⁵ the icon for the video game industry's E rating is replicated followed by the statement, "Suitable for ages 6 and older." This rating suggestion contradicts the AAP's counsel in its "Media Violence" policy statement, which recommends "avoiding violent video games in homes where they may be observed or played by young children."^3(p1224)

The fundamental problems with the entertainment industry's rating of media violence suggest that the AAP withdraw its recommendation that parents use the rating system. The AAP could help parents by removing industry rating icons and descriptions from the AAP educational materials for parents and its Web site; informing them that the current ratings are not evidence based and do not account for the destructive impact of glamorized media violence; and directing them toward evidence-based resources that effectively describe the hazards of media violence. AAP Web sites and brochures could also outline the potential harm associated with children's viewing media violence that is rewarded, committed by children's role models, or otherwise glamorized.

AAP communications with parents about the failings of entertainment industry ratings could help pave the way for the development of valid, evidence-based media ratings founded on health outcomes, which pediatricians could confidently recommend to parents. When the public understands that the current ratings do not accurately describe the health risks of media use, parents and other advocates for children can join with the AAP as a positive force for change.

REFERENCES

1. Committee on Energy and Commerce. The testimony of Dr. Kimberly M. Thompson, Associate Professor and Director, Kids Risk Project, Harvard School of Public Health; June 14, 2006. Available at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/reparchives/108/Hearings/06142006hearing1921/Thompson.pdf. Accessed April 10, 2007
2. Committee on Governmental Affairs, US Senate. Testimony of Michael Rich, MD, MPH, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School Before the U.S. Senate Governmental Affairs Committee: July 25, 2001. Available at: www.senate.gov/govt-aff/072501_rich.htm. Accessed December 18, 2006
3. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Public Education. Media violence. Pediatrics. 2001;108 :1222 –1226[Abstract/Free Full Text]
4. American Academy of Pediatrics. Joint statement on the impact of entertainment violence on children: Congressional public health summit—July 26, 2000. Available at: www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jstmtevc.htm. Accessed November 4, 2006
5. Thompson KM, Haninger K. Violence in E-rated video games. JAMA. 2001;286 :591 –598[Abstract/Free Full Text]
6. University of California, Santa Barbara, Center for Communication and Social Policy. National television violence study: volume 3—executive summary. Available at: www.turnoffyourtv.com/healtheducation/violencechildren/NTVVSexecsum.pdf. Accessed September 24, 2006
7. Yokota F, Thompson KM. Violence in G-rated animated films [published correction appears in JAMA. 2000;284:567]. JAMA. 2000;283 :2716 –2720[Abstract/Free Full Text]
8. National Institute on Media and the Family. G... TV-Y... E: what do these letters mean to parents [press release]? Minneapolis, MN: National Institute on Media and the Family; June 19, 2001
9. Hamilton JT. Channeling Violence: The Economic Market for Violent Television Programming. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press; 1998
10. Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Hearing on "violent and explicit video games: informing parents and protecting children." Testimony of Douglas Lowenstein, President, Entertainment Software Association: June 14, 2006. Available at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/reparchives/108/Hearings/06142006hearing1921/Lowenstein.pdf. Accessed April 10, 2007
11. Senate Commerce Committee. A statement of principles and beliefs of the member companies of the Motion Picture Association of America which contribute to the goal of making our schools safer and our children safe: presented by Jack Valenti, President and Chief Executive Officer, MPAA—May 4, 1999. Available at: http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/0504val.pdf. Accessed December 23, 2006
12. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Prepared witness testimony, Mr. Douglas Lowenstein, President, Interactive Digital Software Association: July 20, 2001. Available at: http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/107/Hearings/07202001hearing329/Lowenstein529.htm. Accessed April 10, 2007
13. American Academy of Pediatrics. The ratings game: choosing your child's entertainment. Available at: www.aap.org/family/ratingsgame.htm. Accessed December 20, 2006
14. American Academy of Pediatrics. Entertainment ratings system: movies and videotapes. Available at: www.aap.org/pubed/ZZZC1XEMASD.htm. Accessed December 20, 2006
15. American Academy of Pediatrics. Entertainment ratings system: video and computer games. Available at: www.aap.org/pubed/ZZZH9U0OASD.htm. Accessed December 20, 2006
16. American Academy of Pediatrics. Entertainment ratings system: TV. Available at: www.aap.org/pubed/ZZZ8KARNASD.htm. Accessed December 20, 2006

---

PEDIATRICS (ISSN 1098-4275). ©2007 by the American Academy of Pediatrics

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My File Cabinet Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Freed, R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Freed, R. Related Collections Office Practice Social Bookmarking                         What's this?