Can Hollywood Reforms Have a Happy Ending?

It may take a village to raise a child, but it just might take a politician to protect our next generation.

Political figures through the ages have been notorious for communicating with empty sentences to toe the party line at all costs, or for saying whatever it takes to get elected regardless of their actual intentions once in office. Today, however, politicians such as Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Republican Sen. John McCain are making great strides in bringing light--and heat--to real issues affecting our children.

Our media are flooded with graphically violent images, risque sexual innuendo and disheartening negativity--and, not surprisingly, so is much of the world around us. Unfortunately, the innocent victims of this material tend to be the youngest of children, whose exposure at the most vulnerable and impressionable time of their lives may irreparably skew or scar their view of the world--or worse.

When four prominent national health organizations banded together recently to condemn the “measurable and long-lasting” effects of media violence on children, which they found can “lead to emotional desensitization toward violence in real life,” and when a Federal Trade Commission report about how that material is marketed to children leads to Senate hearings that call Hollywood bigwigs to the carpet, something is clearly wrong.

The worst part is, we’ve known it all along. Last year, the nation was presented with grisly images of the young Columbine murderers in black trench coats eerily reminiscent of “The Basketball Diaries” and “The Matrix.” National news outlets exploring the motivation behind the rash of such shootings have asked repeatedly whether we are seeing a new culture of violence in which children can no longer distinguish between fantasy and reality, but still no action has been taken on the part of Hollywood to protect our children and stop glamorizing violence. No action, that is, until politicians stepped up to the plate.

On the day of the Senate proceedings last week, Walt Disney Co. unveiled its reaction to the Federal Trade Commission report, promising to modify its practices related to the marketing of non-age-appropriate Disney films to children. Why did it take so long? And how many young minds were affected while the country waited for Disney to act?

The lack of sufficient action on the part of Hollywood leaves the country looking elsewhere for an advocate, someone to turn a much-needed spotlight on the issue. In this case, our “heroes” are originating from inside the political machine rather than the Hollywood machine.

Long before Lieberman was appointed Al Gore’s running mate, he waged a personal crusade on this issue, co-sponsoring the V-chip legislation and presenting, with former Education Secretary William Bennett, the annual Silver Sewer award to the programmer they feel has done the most to degrade our culture. Lieberman continues to be a staunch, vocal supporter of media self-regulation and safe, age-appropriate family fare. With other politicians like McCain as part of the fray, his mission is snowballing, and at least some Hollywood players are getting caught up in it--like it or not.

I founded the itsy bitsy Entertainment Co. in 1995 on the premise that it is indeed possible to make great things for children and make money at the same time. From its inception, our company’s mission has been to provide quality “safe haven entertainment” for the youngest of children and the adults who love them, and we continue to do so both on the screen and on the retailers’ shelves.

Just as it is possible for politicians to break out of the windbag mold and offer something of real value to the community, entertainment company presidents can stray from the stereotype of money monger and elect to put their young audience first without impacting their bottom line--in fact, they can still make a whole lot of money.

Until we have Hollywood’s full participation, we are fortunate to have individuals like Lieberman, who feel passionately about protecting our children--and whose passion is not confined to the span of an election year.

Now, it would make a truly inspiring Hollywood ending if the leaders of the nation’s entertainment companies, moved by the commitment of politicians, would follow their lead and spring to action, rescuing the next generation of young minds from the villain of entertainment violence just in the nick of time. Or does that only happen in the movies?

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