Panel Voices Frustration on Continued TV Violence

Congress members concerned with the impact of television violence on children signaled a growing impatience Wednesday with the industry’s efforts to police itself.

At a House hearing, members of the subcommittee on telecommunications and finance of the Energy and Commerce Committee warned of tougher legislation to come if an industry conference in Los Angeles this summer fails to deal effectively with the problem.

“I am quite discouraged,” said subcommittee chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), noting that 16 years ago, when his panel began hearings on the subject, “the industry proposed to take steps” to resolve congressional concerns.

“Despite efforts to strengthen voluntary industry codes, it appears the problem has not been effectively addressed,” Markey said.

Rep. John Bryant (D-Tex.) added, “These guys are not going to do anything unless we hold a club over their heads.”

Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.), chief sponsor of 1990 legislation to free industry officials from antitrust sanctions so they could work out voluntary guidelines, told the hearing he opposed any tough measures that bordered on government censorship. But Simon said that “while some progress has been made, the violent shows broadcast during this month’s ‘sweeps’ are evidence of the fact that more must be done.”

The industrywide conference that Simon has helped to promote is scheduled for Aug. 2 in Los Angeles. Simon said he was hopeful that new standards to be discussed “will be evident in the fall programming in 1993.”

Markey commended Simon for passage of the 1990 legislation, which granted industry officials a three-year antitrust exemption that is due to expire Jan. 1.

“It gave all of us renewed optimism that the industry might begin to control the epidemic of violence on television,” he said. “Yet three years later we find ourselves in the throes of yet another prime-time crime wave as another ‘May sweeps’ finds us mired in murder and mayhem.

“Clearly the industry has not gotten the message.”

The so-called May ratings sweeps, a period during which the viewership of every station in the country is measured, frequently leads to an increase in violent programming as stations and networks compete for larger audiences and advertising revenues, other authorities told the panel.

No industry representatives testified Wednesday, but Markey said the committee would hear those witnesses at another hearing later.

Brandon S. Centerwall, professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington, testified that “infants as young as 14 months of age demonstrably observe and incorporate behaviors seen on television.”

He said two surveys of young male felons imprisoned for committing violent crimes, including homicide, rape and assault, showed that up to 34% “reported having consciously imitated crime techniques learned from television programs.”

*

Another witness, Nancy Signorielli, professor of communications at the University of Delaware, said an analysis of violent acts in prime-time network programming last February showed little difference from that in the fall of 1991.

“Violence appeared in 63.3% of the programs, at a rate of 4.2 acts of violence per program and 5.0 acts of violence per hour,” she testified. Signorielli added that “considerably more violence” occurred in the early evening television hours viewed by more children.

Markey said Congress should consider requiring television sets sold in the United States to incorporate technology to block channels or programs that parents deem inappropriate for their children. He said the industry also should consider adopting a rating system for television violence similar to that already used by the movie industry.

“Parents have a right to have their children protected,” Markey said.

Simon called the “blocking” technology “something that should be explored,” but added: “I’m afraid the homes that need it the most are those that are not going to use it.”

He urged other members of Congress to wait for the results of the upcoming industry conference before deciding on further legislation.

Last December, the three major television networks announced an agreement to issue guidelines for the depiction of violence on the air. A month later, the cable television industry, responding to concerns in Congress, acknowledged that its programming was as violent as network fare and promised to address the problem.