TELEVISION WATCH : Channel Zero

The best time to guide kids in the right direction is when they’re young. The worst thing to do is to ignore the reality that more kids watch TV than, say, read the classics. So few people would argue with the notion that children’s TV should constitute more than a means of selling products to kids.

But the White House is said to be less than enthralled with the action of Congress in limiting the amount of TV advertising aimed at children.

The House and Senate passed legislation to limit commercials on children’s shows to 10 1/2 minutes an hour on weekends and 12 minutes an hour on weekdays. Since TV stations were freed of ad restrictions in 1984, they were selling as much as 14 advertising minutes per hour.

The legislation also creates and funds a national endowment for children’s educational TV--and requires that the Federal Communications Commission review a TV station’s educational and informative children’s programming as part of its periodic license-renewal process.

This should nudge broadcasters to develop new and creative shows--and help address concerns that toy manufacturers dominate the Saturday morning airways with programs that are little more than thinly veiled merchandising ties-in for products they advertise.

The legislation is backed by children’s advocacy groups, education associations and even the National Assn. of Broadcasters, which in the past has opposed laws to set limits on advertising. President Bush, as the self-proclaimed “Education President,” should sign the bill.