MA, He’s Making SD at Me

Viewers had a preview of the new content-based TV ratings guidelines on CBS last week when the new police drama “Brooklyn South,” which opened with a graphic shooting spree by a cop-killer, came on the air accompanied by the label TV-MA-VSL.

Translation: a show for mature audiences only, with graphic violence, explicit sexual activity and crude, indecent language.

Starting Wednesday, viewers may encounter an alphabet soup of letters flashing across their TV screens at the beginning of their favorite shows. Virtually every broadcast and cable network except NBC will be labeling their entertainment programs with enhanced ratings to alert parents to material that may be unsuitable for their children.

Since Jan. 1, most broadcasters and cable programmers have been using six ratings symbols that indicate whether a program is appropriate for children according to age. Under the new guidelines, those ratings may carry additional letters to specify whether the program contains sex (S), violence (V), coarse language (L) or suggestive dialogue (D).

“The previous system was criticized for not giving parents enough information about why a show got a particular rating,” said Chris Hikawa, vice president of standards and practices at ABC. “My goal in adding a content label to a show is to try to answer that question in the parent’s mind.”

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This week’s episode of “The Nanny” on CBS, for example, which includes discussion of the title character’s redefined romantic relationship with her boss, will be rated TV-PG-D. Fox’s “Beverly Hills 90210” will carry a TV-PG-SLV rating because it includes moderate violence, some potentially offensive language and an amorous scene.

NBC, which objected to threats of legislation if the networks did not bow to congressional pressure to add the content labels, plans to continue with the age-based ratings already in place, adding its own occasional on-air advisories when it deems necessary.

Each TV network and syndicator will rate the shows that it distributes according to its own interpretation of the industry guidelines. There is no master list of curse words, violent acts or sexual situations that will trigger a certain category or additional content labels.

“These are subjective judgments of quantity and context,” said Hikawa. “There will be discrepancies among the networks, and the system will evolve as each of us sees what the other networks are doing. I hope that people will give this a chance to work before they start criticizing us.”

CBS is giving a TV-14-LV to tonight’s episode of “Brooklyn South,” a TV-14-V to Wednesday’s “Chicago Hope,” a TV-PG-L to Thursday’s “Diagnosis Murder,” a TV-14-V to Friday’s “Nash Bridges” and a TV-14-V to Saturday’s “Walker, Texas Ranger.” Thursday’s installment of the new ABC series “Cracker”--about a woman who is stabbed to death on a train--will carry a TV-14-LV.

Wednesday’s episode of “The Drew Carey Show” on ABC will carry a TV-PG-DL label. The episode is about Carey’s character discovering that the owner of the store where he works is having an affair with one of her staff. “There are a few curse words, as usual, in the show, and there’s innuendo and jokes about the affair,” Hikawa explained.

Judging from the first week’s new ratings, the networks will continue to rate most sitcoms TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children), although there are some that are TV-G (all audiences) and some that are TV-14 (may be unsuitable for children under 14), such as Wednesday’s episode of “Ellen,” in which the lead character, who is gay, takes up rock-climbing in an effort to impress a female fitness instructor.

“Our view is that there are people in this country who feel that’s not a subject for little children,” Hikawa said.

At Fox, two dramas that have been known for their unsettling subject matter--”Millennium” and “The X-Files”--will be receiving TV-PG-V ratings in their initial outings, although they frequently have received TV-14 ratings in the past.

Lawmakers and the parents’ and children’s advocacy groups that pressed the industry for the additional labeling will be watching closely to see how diligently and accurately the ratings are applied. And TV distributors also will be scrutinizing one another.

Already there has been some criticism of CBS within the industry for jumping the gun in using the TV-MA-SVL label in its ads for the “Brooklyn Bridge” premiere, 10 days before the enhanced ratings were to go into effect.

“They’re using the label to put on a more violent show and hype it,” said an executive at another network who asked not to be identified.

CBS defended its decision. “We felt that we had a special obligation with ‘Brooklyn South’ to let viewers know what was coming,” CBS senior vice president Martin Franks said in an interview. “We didn’t want anybody to say, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?,’ especially on a Monday night”--referring to the fact that the two hours preceding “Brooklyn South’s” premiere were filled with comedies.

In an effort to create consistency among the networks, the industry has created a ratings oversight monitoring board, which will deal with complaints about the way the ratings are applied. At the insistence of industry critics, representatives of parents’ and children’s groups have been added to the organization. But since the ratings are voluntary, the board will have to rely on persuasion to get anyone to change their ratings policies.

Broadcast executives said that they regard the TV-MA rating (for viewers over the age of 17) as largely reserved for shows on cable. Before the premiere of “Brooklyn South,” only one other prime-time program on the major broadcast networks--the airing of “Schindler’s List” on NBC--had received this designation.

Cable networks--many of which have marketed themselves as more risk-taking than their broadcast competitors--seem to agree on this point. Officials at the Comedy Central cable channel said they plan to rate the critically praised but frequently vulgar cartoon series “South Park” TV-MA-L. Showtime said it will continue rating the erotic drama “Red Shoe Diaries” TV-MA, with decisions about additional labels to be determined when the show returns to the schedule later this fall.

For its part, NBC, which began adding some on-air advisories to the age-based categories in August, plans to continue the practice this fall. A recent episode of NBC’s “Homicide,” for example, carried a TV-14 rating and the on-air warning, “this episode has a level of violence unusual for this series.” On Oct. 12, a TV movie called “Every Nine Seconds” will carry the on-air advisory that “this program contains scenes of domestic violence.”

“We think that the age-based guidelines, plus program-specific advisories, are the most informative--and most workable--way to tell viewers about our shows,” said Rosalyn Weinman, NBC senior vice president for broadcast standards and content policy.

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What the Ratings Mean

Here are the six ratings categories that the television industry is using on entertainment programming, and the descriptions of what they are meant to designate.

General Categories TV-G: General Audience. Most parents would find this program suitable for all ages. Although this rating does not signify a program designed specifically for children, most parents may let younger children watch this program unattended. It contains little or no violence, no strong language and little or no sexual dialogue or situations.

TV-PG: Parental Guidance Suggested. This program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children. Many parents may want to watch it with their younger children. The theme itself may call for parental guidance and/or the program contains one or more of the following: moderate violence (V), some sexual situations (S), infrequent coarse language (L), or some suggestive dialogue (D).

TV-14: Parents Strongly Cautioned. This program contains some material that many parents would find unsuitable for children under 14 years of age. Parents are strongly urged to exercise greater care in monitoring this program and are cautioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended. This program contains one or more of the following: intense violence (V), intense sexual situations (S), strong coarse language (L), or intensely suggestive dialogue (D).

TV-MA: Mature Audiences Only. This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17. This program contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activity (S), or crude, indecent language (L).

Children’s Categories TV-Y: All Children. This program is designed to be appropriate for all children. Whether animated or live-action, the themes and elements in this program are specifically designed for a very young audience, including children from ages 2-6. This program is not expected to frighten young children.

TV-Y7: Directed to Older Children. This program is designed for children age 7 and above. It may be more appropriate for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish between make-believe and reality. Themes and elements in this program may include mild fantasy violence or comedic violence, or may frighten children under the age of 7. Therefore, parents may wish to consider the suitability of this program for their very young children. Note: For those programs where fantasy violence may be more intense or more combative than other programs in this category, such programs will be designated TV-Y7-FV.

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Alphabet Soup

Ratings for this week’s episodes for selected programs:

*”The Drew Carey Show”(ABC): TV-PG-DL

Parental guidance suggested: some suggested dialogue, infrequent coarse language.

* “Walker, Texas Ranger” (CBS): TV-14-V

Parents strongly cautioned: intense violence.

* “The X-Files” (Fox): TV-PG-V

Parental guidance suggested: moderate violence

* “South Park” (Comedy Central): TV-MA-L

Mature audiences only: indecent language