It’s the sheer volume of time that young people, from very early ages, spend before the television. Something like 25,000 hours before they reach the age of 18. I think every parent believes that they’re exposed, without strict guidance, to excessive amounts of violence and other inappropriate behavior. The bully pulpit of the presidency has always been a very important part of this job.
Yes, because as I made absolutely clear, I do not believe the government should have anything to do with developing the ratings system or implementing it. I think it has to be a private thing, just like the movie rating system.
I’m not trying to intervene in this. The only thing Congress has legislated in this area is the Children’s Television Act, which I strongly support. And the other part of our discussion was about how we can improve the quality and quantity of children’s programming. So I didn’t try to threaten anybody. I did fight hard for the V-chip.
It’s only a panacea if you promise a panacea. One man [at the meeting] who had three small children said, “Look, this ratings system and the V-chip, neither one is a panacea, but they’ll help, and anything that helps me have more ability to shape the upbringing of my children I consider a plus.” That’s the way I feel.
Sure, some of that will happen, particularly as kids get older. But what’s most disturbing to me–and what we have the best data on–is the deadening impact of exposure from very young ages to hours upon hours of mindless and extreme violence. [And] over 70 percent of the violent incidents kids see on television don’t have an adverse consequence to the perpetrator of the violence.
I haven’t yet. I’m waiting for the congressional debate. I can tell you this: nobody tried to make what they did today a quid pro quo.
I don’t get to watch much. I normally watch specific movies or sporting events or news. Last night I tried to watch about an hour of the Grammys, because Chelsea joked I’ve missed 20 years of music and I need to get my head right. So now I know all about who Seal is–is that his name? And I thought he was quite good. And I wanted to see Alanis Morissette. And there was that controversial song: “What if you met God on the bus.” Do you know that? Anyway, I was trying to become somewhat less irrelevant to my own daughter and the other teenagers of the world.
