Parents are increasingly concerned with the level of indecent materials available in the media. A common reaction to the prevalence of adult material is to support greater government restrictions on content. But concerned parents should be wary of government involvement in this area. Private sector services and parents are much more effective in keeping indecent material out of the hands of children.
Growth of the Media:
The increase in technology and the advent of cable has created the opportunity for a wide array of media content. In recent years, we have seen the growth in realistic and gritty content on television. Some programmers are creating more adult entertainment to suit the palettes of a changing society.
However, there has also been growth in high quality educational and news content. Many channels such as C-Span, CNN and the Discovery Channel have all emerged from this innovative process. Internet video streaming, websites, and pod casts are able to target niche groups with niche media. Therefore we see an increase in the good content that makes viewers interested and informed in their world.
Blame the Media:
While many commentators complain that the new wave of vulgar media has a negative impact on children, studies are unclear about the actual long-term effects of exposure to this content. One study found a 10 percent correlation between aggression and viewing habits, but found a 50 percent correlation between aggression and family habits. Another researcher concluded that, "The power of parents is so much greater than the power of the media that any reasonably good parenting renders any media influence insignificant."
Problems with Government Action:
Out of fear for children's mental health and stability, many seek direct censorship of the media as the response to adult content on television. Yet debates instantly crop up about what should be censored. Is nudity or sexuality okay in medical documentaries and serious movies but not ok in light soap operas? Should slapstick comedy be censored entirely so some parents who prefer their children not watch it can be protected? These questions highlight the problem of trying to fit a one-size-fits-all government solution and the threat to the concept of free speech that would be posed by such regulation.
Private and Market Response:
Today's parents have a lot more control over their children's program viewing than in the past. Channel blockers and the V-chip remove children's access to certain channels. Computer games and game consoles now carry parental code inputs as well as sophisticated labels to warn parents of the kind of content in the game. Music CDs and downloads too have explicit labels, etc.
Responsible parenting renders media influence insignificant. Top-down government mandates are unlikely to be effective and seem to imply that parents aren't responsible for their children. Families-not the government-are best positioned to decide what media content is appropriate for their children.
All content can be found in No Responsibility without Freedom: Why Government Should Leave Media Content Alone, a publication by the Independent Women's Forum found at iwf.org.
