A Little Light From the TV Set

The Federal Communications Commission and broadcasters have been at loggerheads for months over a proposal to require television stations to air a minimum of three hours of educational programming for children each week. Finally, a resolution is in sight. It would give broadcasters most of the flexibility they wanted, but, fortunately, probably not enough to call “The Jetsons” educational.

President Clinton announced the compromise proposal Monday at a children’s television conference hosted by the White House. Under the plan, supported by the four major networks, the National Assn. of Broadcasters and various children’s advocates, broadcasters would agree to produce or air three hours of regularly scheduled, weekly half-hour educational programs between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. The programming would fulfill the requirements of the 1990 Children’s Television Act.

If a broadcaster aired less than three hours a week, it could make up the difference with shorter programs, child-targeted news programming, non-weekly programming, even projects at local schools. Those stations that failed to fulfill even that requirement would have to undergo a long, costly FCC scrutiny and run the risk of losing their licenses.

FCC Chairman Reed Hundt, who has been pushing for quality children’s programming, said the commission is resolving details of the new proposal and could vote on it as early as Thursday. The proposal lacks a clear definition of what constitutes educational programming. The FCC needs to address this. Stations have passed off such shows as “The Jetsons” or “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” as broadcasts fulfilling their obligations under the Children’s Television Act.

The White House approvingly cited “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?,” a geographical detective show based on the popular computer game, but said even “The Cosby Show,” with its family values, or the Saturday morning teen sitcom “Saved by the Bell” probably would qualify. That may be just a tad too flexible.

Devoting three hours a week--about 2.5% of the average station’s schedule--to quality educational programming is not much, compared to the 12 hours a week that prevailed before the FCC scrubbed public-interest guidelines in the 1980s. But it beats nothing, which is what too many stations serve up today. Our kids deserve better from so pervasive a presence in their lives.