Disney to Keep Prime Time Free of R-Rated Movie Ads

One day after a government study attacked Hollywood for marketing violent films to children, the Walt Disney Co. issued a pledge Tuesday to keep R-rated movie advertisements off its ABC television network during prime time.

“Disney, including its affiliated companies, is committed to the responsible marketing of all its motion pictures, including especially those rated ‘R’ by the Motion Picture Assn. of America,” the company said in a statement outlining a new set of marketing policies.

Children younger than 17 are restricted from seeing R-rated films unless accompanied by an adult due to content that can include violence, gunplay, nudity and sex.

On Monday, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued a study that accused entertainment companies, including movie studios, of aggressively targeting children with violent films.

Along with keeping R-rated movie advertisements off ABC, the company’s print ads, in-theater previews and movie Web sites will include additional information describing why a film was rated R.

Disney vowed to preclude theater owners from showing previews for R-rated films in theaters showing a Disney-branded film, which are aimed at families and children. Among its film brands are the Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films labels, which often include more adult-oriented fare.

Disney said that when it conducts market research for R-rated films or for movies that might reasonably be R-rated, it will not target groups that could include kids younger than 17, and it will urge theater owners to bar children from sneaking into R-rated movies.

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