House OKs Antitrust Exemption for TV to Help Curb Violence

The House today voted to give an antitrust exemption to the TV industry so it can try to adopt voluntary guidelines aimed at curbing violent programming.

The 399-18 vote sent the measure to the Senate, which passed a similar bill May 31.

The bill would give television networks, local stations, producers and the cable TV industry a three-year antitrust exemption to work up guidelines for depicting non-news violence on television.

At present, such discussions would violate the Sherman Antitrust Act, which caused the demise of previous industry self-regulation under the Television Code of the National Assn. of Broadcasters.

The Senate version of the bill was approved with an amendment by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) that would also allow the TV industry to discuss ways to curb scenes that glorify drug use and portray sexually explicit material.