Garbage in, garbage out

An entire genre of music has taught a generation of children that drugs, violence and misogyny is so rampant that it is actually acceptable.

Music video programs popular with young audiences are full of offensive/adult content. On Rap City and 106 & Park on BET and MTV’s Sucker Free on MTV, foul content appeared at an alarming rate: one instance every 38 seconds. (Parents Television Council: Rap on Rap Study)

Every 38 seconds, children watching these programs are exposed to sexually charged images, explicit language, violence, drug use or sales or other illegal activity.

The V-Chip will protect kids right? It could, except that almost every episode in PTC’s study carried only a TV-PG rating with no content descriptors.

Many a researcher has shown that listening to music with degrading sexual lyrics communicates cultural messages about expected and normative sexual behavior and violent lyrical content can increase aggressive thoughts and feelings.

Why does this matter? Because our children are watching.

Advertisers need to be held accountable for the content their advertising dollars pay for. We need to push for greater responsibility where program content is concerned.

Consumers must demand and receive the right to pick and choose – and pay for – only the channels they want coming into their homes. We are forced to subsidize it with their cable subscription dollars.

Finally, we must demand from the networks an accurate, transparent and consistent ratings system that will give parents adequate tools to protect their children.

Debbie Blair

Parents Television Council