ABC to Warn Viewers About Risky Videos : Television: The network was prompted by mounting criticism about the safety of some acts in its mega-hit, ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos.’

ABC, responding to criticism and growing public concern over the safety of events depicted on “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” will incorporate tougher on-air warnings when it solicits home-made videotapes from the public.

The program debuted in January and has been the only instant mega-hit on network television so far this season, currently ranking fifth in prime-time ratings. But the show, which is supposed to feature people in unrehearsed funny acts captured by home video cameras, has been criticized for scenes that could be dangerous if viewers tried to duplicate them and for making light of serious accidents.

Now the network has asked the producers, Vin De Bona Productions, to more clearly state during the show that viewers should not tape anything on their camcorders which could be harmful to the persons or animals involved. Previously ABC has only required the show’s host Bob Sagat to announce the producers would not accept “staged” or violent videos in which people or animals were harmed.

The decision was prompted in part by columns written by Times Television Critic Howard Rosenberg and a story in USA Today that criticized and highlighted dangerous stunts depicted in the home videos, including scores of them that are never broadcast.

ABC finds itself in the uncomfortable position of having one of its most profitable shows--which will contribute tens of millions of dollars in network profits this year--hurt by an avalanche of bad publicity, a fate that has dogged other hit ABC series such as “Roseanne” and “Moonlighting,” the latter which had to be canceled because the network could not overcome production problems.

“We want to discourage dangerous or abusive behavior,” said ABC Entertainment President Robert Iger. “We have always had a policy not to show clips of people in danger or being harmed.”

The network said all videotapes are vetted by its standards and practices department, although Iger acknowledged that there is no fail-safe way of ensuring that the videotapes have not been staged or involved harm. “We have to trust the people,” Iger said.

Vin De Bona, who produces “Funniest Home Videos” along with the network’s in-house production unit, said he and Sagat had already considered giving sterner on-air warnings about content.

De Bona claims that of 52,000 homemade videotapes submitted to the show, “probably 15” have been determined to be staged. “None I’ve seen are life-threatening to a person or animal.” He says Sagat tells viewers on average between two to three times per episode about the dangers of trying to act out what is seen on the videotapes.

The on-air warnings may also be an extra measure to ensure that the network is not liable if a viewer is hurt while trying to recreate the scenes shown. In the past, for example, radio stations sponsoring “treasure hunts” have been sued by listeners who hurt themselves while following up on vague “clues” broadcast by the station. “It does give the network some additional protection,” said Dan Brenner, head of the communications law program at the UCLA School of Law.