Summer's Here: Let the TV Battles Begin

Spring is in full bloom and with summer vacation just around the corner children across the country might be ready to trade their pencils for remote controls. Even with a robust parks and rec program in Muskego, and plenty of resources and events to keep kids busy, the lure of 'vegging out' in front of the TV can be irresistable.

Nearly half of parents state their children consume more television during the summer. TV Watch, a national organization which promotes parental control over the remote control, is encouraging parents and others who want to take control of TV viewing in their homes to “Spring into Action” by learning the television content ratings, utilizing parental controls, monitoring the TV and spreading the word to other parents.

“Parents have the responsibility of deciding what is most appropriate for their children based on their tastes, values and culture unique to their family.  Fortunately, parents have a great deal of information and numerous tools to help them with their decisions,” said TV Watch Executive Director Jim Dyke in a release.  “Recent studies have shown parents utilize the content ratings and tools like the V-Chip and that they are overwhelmingly satisfied with their effectiveness.”

TV Watch, a broad-based coalition consisting of 21 individuals and organizations representing more than 4 million Americans, launched a new infographic to visually illustrate newly released data from the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board that shows:

• 72 percent of parents report having rules about TV use;
• 68 percent of parents say they use the TV ratings system;
• 88 percent of parents are aware that the TV ratings system provides guidance based on the age of the child;
• 36 percent of parents use either a V-Chip or cable/satellite-provided parental controls and
• 95 percent of parents who use the ratings most often find them helpful.

The “Spring into Action” Campaign includes a promotional video that is part of an online advertising campaign and is being distributed to parenting groups and activists.  TV Watch is also encouraging parents to take action in one or more of the following four ways:

1. Learn the Ratings: Parents who wish to utilize the ratings should take the time to learn them and stay up to date by reviewing them regularly.  More information about the ratings can be found at the TV Watch website or in this helpful video.
2. Use the Tools: TV continues to be the dominant form of media used by children ages 0 to 11, and parental controls, in the form of the V-Chip or cable/satellite controls, are a great way to have control over what kids watch. The TV Watch “Easy As Toast” tutorial has all the information parents need.
3. Monitor: According to a TV Watch survey, 73 percent of parents monitor what their children watch on TV. At the same time, 59 percent of children have a TV set in their room (Harris Interactive), so setting the parental controls on those TV's is an easy way to maintain control.  Also, when your child is going to a friend's house, inform the other parents about your rating standards. A simple phone call, email or note is a great way to make sure values are protected outside of your home. Parents can also fill out TV Watch's free Parent-To-Parent Information card that allows them to easily pass along this information.
4. Spread the Word: As part of “Spring into Action,” TV Watch is encouraging parents to recommend "Television Tools for Parents 101" to other parents and pass along five free ratings reference stickers that can be applied to the back of the remote control.  These stickers are a great reference for parents and can be obtained for free through the TV Watch website.