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For Immediate Release
07/22/09
Contact: |
Jena Longo - Democratic Deputy Communications Director 202.224.7824
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Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Rethinking the Children's Television Act for a Digital Media Age
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Television is a powerful force in children’s lives.
Children in America typically watch between two and four hours of television every day. By the time they begin the first grade, they have spent what amounts to three school years in front of the television set.
Let me be clear: When used for good, television programming can enlighten, entertain, and even teach.
But when used for less noble purposes, it can expose children to indecent, graphic, and violent content. This can have a coarsening effect on our children—and on our culture.
We have a right to be concerned.
This is why nearly twenty years ago Congress enacted the Children’s Television Act.
This law reduced the commercialization of children’s programming. It also created a market for more quality educational and informational programming for our youngest viewers.
These are good things. These are policies we still want to promote. And these are values we still hold dear today.
But our media landscape has changed dramatically during the last two decades.
So we have a challenge. How do we take these values and apply them to the very different media universe our children know today?
A world where televisions are only part of the media mix. A world where the television screen is fast fusing with the computer screen. Where cable channels have multiplied and young people view programming over their mobile phones.
The way I see it, there are two needs here.
First, there is a need to provide quality media content for children.
Second, there is a need to protect our children from harmful content.
To provide and protect. We must have both.
This is what the Committee would like to explore today. How well the Children’s Television Act has worked, and how it can be updated to reflect the new digital media market.
If we value what our children read, see, and hear, we need to hold discussions like this.
If we respect parents and their need for tools to help monitor their children’s viewing, we need to hold discussions like this.
And if we believe there is some content that is simply not suitable for children, we need to hold discussions like this.
Finally, it will come as no surprise to anyone in this room that I continue to have grave concerns about violence and indecency in the media. I continue to believe that programming with gratuitous sex and excessive violence harms our children and demeans our culture.
But this is not the central focus of today’s hearing. So let us now begin by identifying how we can work together to improve programming for children.
So thank you to our witnesses for your willingness to be a part of this dialogue—and thank you for your efforts to provide quality content for our youngest viewers.
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30th - |
Rockefeller, Boxer Applaud Funding for Rail Safety Grants
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The committee passed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which includes $50 million for the Railro...
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30th - |
Hearing Summary - Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities
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Witness List:
The Honorable Gary Locke, Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
The Honorable John P. Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President
Key ...
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30th - |
Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities
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30th - |
Rockefeller Seeks Information on Health Care Co-ops
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29th - |
Hearing Summary: Nominations Hearing
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Witness List:
Mr. Christopher P. Bertram, to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of Transportation
Ms. Susan L. Kurland, to be Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International A...
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28th - |
Hearing Summary - Weathering the Storm: The Need for a National Hurricane Initiative
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Witness List:
Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier, Co-Chairman, Task Force on Hurricane Science and Engineering, National Science Board
Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, Assistant Administrator, Office of Oceanic an...
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27th - |
Nominees Confirmed
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Ms. Mignon L. Clyburn, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Ms. Meredith Attwell Baker, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Ms. Deborah A.P. Hersman, to be Chairman and Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (N...
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24th - |
Rockefeller Calls for Audit of General Motors and Chrysler Terminations
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22nd - |
Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection
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Today, we will examine deceptive advertising and its power to undermine consumers’ c...
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22nd - |
current Press Release |
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22nd - |
Hearing Summary: Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection
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Witness List:
Mr. David Vladeck, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission
Ms. Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League
Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Director for Technical...
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21st - |
Rockefeller Applauds Senate Commerce Committee's Approval of FAA Reauthorization Bill
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21st - |
Chairman Rockefeller Applauds Senate Commerce Committee's Extension of Critical Highway Programs
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The Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill to extend the Nation...
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21st - |
Executive Session Committee Legislation Summary
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Nomination of Polly Trottenberg, to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy of the United States Department of Transportation (PN 549)
Nomination of Deborah A.P. Hersman, to be Chairman and Memb...
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20th - |
Chairman Rockefeller on the 40th Anniversary of the First Moon Landing
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17th - |
Rockefeller and Hutchison Press DOT on Antitrust Immunity Cases
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16th - |
Hearing Summary: Competition in the Health Care Marketplace
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Witness List:
Mr. Richard A. Feinstein, Director, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission
Dr. Len M. Nichols, Director, Health Policy Program, New America Foundation
Mr. David Balto, Senior Fellow, Center For ...
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15th - |
Chairman Rockefeller Alarmed by Magnitude of Cyber Attacks
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Chairman Rockefeller and Senator Snowe recently introduced bipa...
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14th - |
Hearing Summary-The Economy and Fraud: Protecting Consumers During Downward Economic Times
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Witness List:
The Honorable Chris Koster, Attorney General, State of Missouri
Mr. David Vladeck, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Fed...
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14th - |
Rockefeller, Hutchison, Dorgan, Demint Introduce Bipartisan Aviation Bill
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13th - |
Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison Statements on the Nomination of Chris Bertram
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“Mr. Bertram brings a ...
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10th - |
Chairman Rockefeller Adds Another Company to His Online "Mystery Charges" Investigation
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Today, Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to the President of Affini...
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9th - |
Hearing Summary: Nominations Hearing
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Nominations Include:
Panel I
Mr. Charles F. Bolden, Jr., to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Ms. Lori Garver, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
...
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8th - |
Executive Session Committee Legislation Summary
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S. 588, Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009
S. 649, Radio Spectrum Inventory Act
S. 668, Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2009
S. 1194, Coast Guard Authorizati...
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