Children who watch violent television shows are 11 times more likely to commit violent acts than those who do not (Saltzman 2). Children have a harder time telling fantasy from reality, which puts them more at risk for copying the violence on television. Even the good characters commit almost half of the violence on television. Children are more likely to copy someone they find attractive. One third of the violent shows do not show punishment for the violent acts that were committed and half of the shows didn’t show the pain of victims (Stamper1). A study in 1996 showed that over 80 percent of Americans think that television violence contributes to real violence and a decline in family values (ICOF 2). The violence in the media is negatively influencing young people today.
The Federal Trade Commission reports that parents should be better educated about the rating systems so they will know which products are appropriate for their children (Lohse 1). More children are watching television without their parents there to supervise what they watch and explain why violence is wrong (ICOF 2). Over 90 percent of general audience programs were rated TVG or TVPG saying they are suitable for children, which is a reason for parents not to trust the rating system. Most of the violence on TV is on cable. Eighty-seven percent of cable channels show violence (Stamper 1). Recently, major networks have been playing shows that are not appropriate for children between 8 P.M. and 9 P.M. This time used to be considered a family hour and shows that weren’t meant for children would be played later once they were asleep (ICOF 2).
A study was done with college students to prove if violent video games had any effect on people. The students were divided into two groups. One group played the violent game Doom while the other group played the nonviolent game Myst. After they played, members from each group were asked to punish someone with a noise blast. The people who played Doom used longer blasts than those who played Myst (Saltzman 1).
Violent products are being marketed to teens. The Federal Trade Commission says that even though products are labeled as inappropriate for teens, they are still being marketed to them. Games that are marked with an M rating are appropriate for people over 17 but are marketed to people from ages 12-34 (Lohse 3).
Videos, CDs, and movies that are marked as inappropriate for children are still easy for young people to get a hold of. A 15-year-old girl said it was easy for her to get into R-rated movies by buying a ticket to another movie and sneaking in. Sometimes she could even buy the ticket for the R-rated movie herself. People under 17 are not supposed to see R-rated movies. She blames the theater owners for not keeping young people out of the movies because teenagers are the ones they hired to sell the tickets (Peterson 1).
Parents of the children killed in the Littleton, Colorado school shooting sued the entertainment companies because they felt the media had enough influence on the shooter to cause him to kill (Holmstrom 1). The Littleton shooters had played a video game called Doom, which is violent and taught them how to shoot guns with good accuracy (Lohse 2). Point-and-shoot video games are accused by many to be what teaches children how to use guns so accurately (Holmstrom 2). The families of school shooting victims sued 25 entertainment companies, blaming them for the violence their video games had caused (Pugh 1). After the shooting in Littleton, the Federal Trade Commission made a report against the entertainment industry and brought it to the Senate (Peterson 1). The Columbine High School shooting caused the Federal Trade Commission to do a study that proved entertainment that is adult-rated is being marketed toward children (Pugh 1).
Now, the v-chip is installed in all televisions to help parents block any violent shows they do not want their children watching (ICOF 3). The new television rating system is based on old rules, called the Hays Code, which banned films with topics they did not approve of (ICOF 5). All the critics who rate the shows will have different opinions of what will be rated “v” but parents will have to trust them if they do not want to watch what their child is viewing. Some say that violence on television will increase because producers think it will be blocked out. They worry that once the shows are given a “v” rating the producers will make their shows more violent because they won’t have to be censored anymore. Teenagers who know how computer work will be able to learn how the v-chip works and find a way to watch the shows it is trying to block (ICOF 9).
Many argue that the v-chip is a form of government censorship and violates the right of freedom of speech. People who support the v-chip say all it does it give parents more control over what their children watch (ICOF 7). Some shows are worried that they will not have many advertisers airing commercials during their show if they show violent topics, but the advertisers already make sure that none of the shows they sponsor have anything their customers would not like (ICOF 8).
The entertainment industry is improving about keeping violent products away from children. Websites selling music have begun to put up lyrics so that parents can decide for themselves if the music is appropriate for the children. The movie industry has improved their advertising by not placing ads for R-rated movies in teen magazines and not playing trailers for those movies when a G or PG rated movie is being shown in the theater. Video games that are rated for mature players do not have ads in teen magazines anymore (Pugh 2).
Peterson, Karen. “Teens Say Entertainment Industry Isn’t at Fault.” USAToday Sep. 2000: 1-3. SIRS Researcher. Boca Raton, FL: SIRS, Inc., 2001.
Pugh, Tony. “Music Industry is Not Keeping a Pledge to Critics.” Inquirer Washington Bureau April 2001: 1-3. SIRS Researcher. Boca Raton, FL: SIRS, Inc., 2001.
Saltzman, Marc. “Virtual Violence and Real Aggressiveness; Is There Correlation?” Gannet News Service June 2001: 1-4. SIRS Researcher. Boca Raton, FL: SIRS, Inc., 2001.
Stamper, John. “Study of TV Violence Sees Added Risk for Young Children.” Knight-Ridder April 1998: 1-2. SIRS Researcher. Boca Raton, FL: SIRS, Inc., 2001.
Many groups have proven that entertainment, in the forms of music, television, movies, and video games, is the cause of the rise of violent acts committed by teenagers. Something is finally being done to protect children from violent entertainment and hopefully lower the rate of teen violence. Teenagers are already beginning to report a decline in violence in their schools and neighborhoods.
