Ad Limits for Children’s TV OKd by House

By voice vote, the House passed a bill today that would direct the Federal Communications Commission to require television broadcasters to limit commercial advertising on children’s programming to no more than 10.5 minutes per hour on weekends and 12 minutes per hour on weekdays.

Also, when the FCC reviews applications for television licenses, it would have to consider whether the station has served the educational and informational needs of children in its overall programming, as well as its adherence to the advertising limits.

The Senate passed a similar bill last week. Differences will have to be worked out in a conference committee if the Senate does not change its version to mesh with the House bill.

“Passage (of this bill) once and for all would provide broadcasters and children with programs that produce the necessary incentives to educate our nation’s children, rather than to exploit them economically,” said Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.). “Children’s television should and can be the video equivalent to textbooks and the classics, rather than the video equivalent of a Toys ‘R Us catalogue.”

In 1984, during the height of Reagan Administration deregulation, the FCC issued an order repealing commercial guidelines for children’s television. At the time, broadcasters had been limited to 9.5 minutes per hour on weekends and 12 minutes per hour on weekdays.

In 1987, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the FCC had not sufficiently justified the 1984 decision, and in response the FCC sought public comments on the matter. It has taken no further action.

Then-President Ronald Reagan pocket-vetoed similar legislation in 1988 and the Bush Administration opposes the bill. The White House believes that the measure infringes on broadcasters’ First Amendment rights.

However, Action for Children’s Television, a public interest group, contends stations will load up children’s programs with commercials if the government does not require limits.