TV Guide: October 2005

By: Vicki Courtney

Long gone are the stress-free days of watching Leave it to Beaver or Dennis the Menace. Back in our day, it was considered racy when Rob and Laura Petrie had a king size bed in their bedroom instead of twin beds like Ricky and Lucy. Today, we have to worry about ear-muffing our kids during prime time television or blindfolding them for Super Bowl halftime shows. In addition, “standards” seem to have gotten much more lax regarding what gets on the airways.

Instead of going into the thousands of examples of what trash is out there, and believe me, I have them, I thought it would be more beneficial to address HOW to live amongst it and protect our children as much as possible. Let’s face it. TV isn’t going away, and even if our children aren’t watching the new fall lineup shows, you can bet some of their friends are tuning in each week.

As parents, we must take an active role and help filter what is being watched in our homes. And in case you think you’re safe by paying attention to the ratings TV shows are given, think again.

In January of 1996, the FCC established ‘TV Parental Guidelines’ as a ratings system designed to help parents decide which television shows are appropriate for their children. Additionally, it seeks to screen programs for “possibly offensive content.”  The problem is, offensive to whom? The rating system is voluntary and the network or producers of each show are the ones that decide on a program’s rating.

Ratings are broken up into two parts, an age-based (Audience) rating, and a content-based rating (Content Label) that tells you if a show has higher levels of violence, sex, or adult language. The ratings are usually displayed in the television guide, at the start of a show (the upper left hand corner of the television screen) and during the first seconds after each commercial break. Great websites that detail what particular ratings mean and what you need to know about them are listed here. http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/parentsguide/tvratings.html and

http://www.answers.com/topic/tv-parental-guidelines.

As parents, we must do more than simply pay attention to ratings assigned by producers. Some shows may carry an acceptable rating, but still not meet your standard for approval.  If I’m unfamiliar with a TV show, I find it helpful to find a review online. For reviews on most TV shows, check out these sites: www.parentstv.org/ and www.pluggedinonline.com.

REVIEWS OF MOST POPULAR TEEN SHOWS

Desperate Housewives was rated the most popular broadcast-network television show with kids aged 9-12 according to Nielsen stats earlier this year. Additionally, Nielsen lists The OC, One Tree Hill and Will & Grace as the top TV shows for 12-17 year old girls. All these shows were rated very high in sexual content and most did not receive acceptable scores for violence or language by the Parents Television Council (PTC).  PTC also indicates these shows contain “adult-oriented themes” that are unsuitable for children.

Finally, our kids do not live in a black hole, and will probably want to watch what “everybody” else is watching. I’m not against watching TV, but I do believe it’s our job to set some ground rules in our homes regarding what is allowed. (Take advantage of parental filters!) Here are some tips to keep in mind as you set standards in your own home.

1. Know what’s out there
   As parents, we cannot be blind to what culture is presenting to our kids. Part of knowing how to fight the battle is knowing what the battle is! With the fall lineup rolling out, I encourage you to browse the network websites to see what shows your teen might be watching. Remember, your house is not the only place they will watch TV!
   
2. Consider watching the show with your teen
   If your teen desires to watch a show you’re unsure about, consider making a date to watch it together.  If it is acceptable, if will help you to know more about potential “talking points” with you teen. If the show is inappropriate, it will give you a common base for discussion.
   
3. Speak up!

If you are watching TV with your family, and characters are handling situations in a less-than-Godly way, don’t be shy. Speak up! Gently point out errors in judgment, ramifications of poor choices and why ‘so and so’ should have acted differently. Also, take this opportunity to ask if they, or friends, have made a similar poor choice. Or, ask how they would have handled a certain character’s situation. Turn the negative into a positive by encouraging communication with your teen.

1. Empower your teen
   Help your teen to make wise choices on their own. Encourage teens to analyze and question what they see on TV. After all, they are only under our roofs for a short period of time! Here’s a list of questions to have your teen ask him/her regarding what they watch on TV.
1. Is this show edifying?
2. Does the show validate good choices you make?
3. Is watching this show worth your time?
4. Would I feel comfortable watching this with Jesus in the room?