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Briefing Will Highlight Latest Steps to Protect
America’s Youth
(WASHINGTON, D.C.)--Congressman Dan Burton will join a bi-partisan
group of "V-Chip" proponents, including Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), Senator
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) , Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), and FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani
on Wednesday, June 16, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. in Room SC-5 of the Capitol to discuss the latest
steps to empower parents across the country to have greater control over the type of
programming their children see on television.
Due to the increased attention placed on media violence in the wake of
the high school shootings in Columbine, Colorado and the need for parents to have greater
control over the access their children have to violent or sexually-explicit television
shows, TV receiver manufacturers will be required by law, beginning next month, to include
"V-Chip" blocking technology in half of all production for new TV sets that are
13-inches and larger.
"I am pleased that we are taking the necessary steps to move the
V-Chip forward. Parents in this country will be able to control the nature of television
programming that their children are watching, including programming that, at times,
contains too much foul language, violence or sexual content," Burton said
The "V-Chip" provision in the Telecommunications Act of 1996
was intended to help parents take control of what comes into their homes and their
children’s minds by allowing them to block out programming that they believe contains
too much violence, sex or adult language.
Thompson Consumer Electronics, manufacturer and marketer of RCA, GE and
PROSCAN-brand home entertainment products, will present a progress report as well and will
demonstrate the "V-Chip" technology at Wednesday’s briefing.
Thompson Consumer Electronics will also be donating a "V-Chip"-equipped
television set to the Marion County Children’s Guardian Home in Indianapolis on
behalf of Congressman Burton, who spent time there as a child. |
