Hill Indecency Concerns Won’t Subside Soon, Brownback Says

There’s an urgent need for research on how children learn from TV and how exposure to the medium affects neurological processes, Brownback said, stumping for Hill passage of the Children & Media Research Advancement Act to spur such research. “I would hope as we are doing this research we would work with the industry,” he said: “It’s my hope we can work together as we learn more on how this works… in a complementary role and not a combative role.”

Issues like indecency aren’t going away, and industry should realize that, he said: “We continue to have deep concerns about TV raising our children… You're going to see this issue continue to come forward.” Without more studies and cooperation, industry will find itself on a “collision course” with govt., Brownback said, adding that industry will have plenty of notice of any legislation. “Something’s got to give here, because we cannot continue these trends,” he said.

Three TV executives in the audience support a cooperative approach, they said. “There is an opportunity here with industry and the legislative community… to really address the issues,” said Nickelodeon Public Affairs Exec. Vp Marva Small. She told Brownback: “I think I support your sort of phase-in approach.” A congressional task force could make recommendations on subjects including ads and child obesity, she said.

Programmers are working to develop a channel reflecting concerns raised at the meeting, Ion Media CEO Brandon Burgess said. “The core of its value is what’s being discussed in this room,” he told Copps. A brand for such a network is under development, Burgess said, without elaborating.

The FCC should limit interactive kids advertising, Copps said, urging imposition of a media activist-broadcaster ad limit compromise it’s considering. The agency also should act on a separate interactive TV rulemaking, he said, suggesting Commissioners vote in the fall on compromise DTV ad limits backed by Disney, NBC Universal and Viacom and have it take effect Jan. 1. A network lobbyist told Copps after the forum she backs his efforts. Copps told us he knows of no schedule for a vote: “I'm not worried nothing will happen, [but] we should close the books on this.”

The Commission should set consumer-oriented “guidelines” on interactive TV functions that could link programming to online ads, Copps said: “As a regulatory matter, clicking out beyond the regulated confines of broadcasters has important consequences.” He asked the audience to “push the FCC for action.”

Comr. Adelstein went a step farther, telling the group late Thurs. he’s considering an outright ban on interactive, commercial ads during kids programming. The FCC should “move immediately” on a 2004 rulemaking on the subject, he said. Asked by us whether he favored abolishing such material, he said: “We should severely limit it. Whether or not a ban is appropriate is something we need to hash out.”

Comr. Tate joined other panelists encouraging industry to make what she called more “quality children’s programming,” which she acknowledged is “expensive to produce.” She echoed Copps in telling the audience she wants fast action on the kids DTV compromise. Asked about the timing of a vote, she said: “The chairman sets our agenda… I am at his door whenever I have an opportunity to bring this up.”

The FCC will vote soon on a digital radio order, Copps told us: “It’s probably fairly imminent.” An FCC official had told us there are 3 votes in favor of the order, which sources said would let AM stations broadcast digitally at night. The item, previously expected to be voted on in circulation, could be considered at the FCC’s next agenda meeting if Copps and Comr. Adelstein want to use the occasion for a public discussion of broadcaster obligations, industry sources said. Copps declined to discuss how the Commission would handle the vote but told us he has “concerns that we address” public interest obligations. - Jonathan Make