Summary of Recommendations
Report of the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission from the Action
Group on Violence on Television (AGVOT), Apr. 30, 1997
Republished with permission
| Full document includes:
Introduction
Executive Summary
Meeting Requirements of CRTC Public Notice 1996 - 36
A Classification System for Violent Content
Role of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
A Comprehensive Classification System
Consultations
The 1997 Field Trial
Technical Issues
Broadcaster Technical Issues
Quebec Rating System
The American Situation
Summary and Conclusions
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The Action Group on Violence on Television (AGVOT) is pleased to submit this report to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, in response to CRTC Public Notice 1996-36 "Respecting Children—A Canadian Approach to Helping Families Deal with Television Violence," and Public Notice 1996-134, "Revised Timetable for the Implementation of the Television Program Classification System and V-chip Technology."
This report is the culmination of more than a year's work, representing an unprecedented co-operative undertaking strongly supported by all elements of the Canadian broadcast industry: over-the-air television services, both private and public, English and French; the cable industry; specialty and pay services; the independent film and television production industry, and the advertising industry.
In Public Notice 1996-36, the CRTC detailed its expectations of the Canadian broadcast and cable industries, in regards to "protecting children from the harmful effects of television violence while preserving freedom of expression for creators and choice for adult viewers."
The Commission said that by September 1996, Canadian broadcasters would be responsible for applying a classification system for violent content to children's programming, drama programs, "reality shows" (reality-based dramatic programs), and feature films, as well as promotional spots for any of these types of programs and advertisements for theatrical releases. At the same time, Canadian cable companies and other distributors would be required to make V-chip technology available to any subscriber who wanted it.
The CRTC assigned the responsibility of developing the rating system to AGVOT, with the direction that input should be sought from the public, programmers and distributors.
As it became apparent that the September 1996 objective could not be met, on July 31, 1996, AGVOT requested additional time for the development of a classification system and the introduction of V-chip technology. The Commission requested a full report by Sept. 6, detailing the reasons for the extension request and with a firm commitment for a revised timeline. AGVOT complied, and on Oct. 4, 1996, the CRTC issued PN 1996-134, in which it established a new implementation date of September 1997 for program classification and V-chip rollout.
Over the following pages, AGVOT will describe how the Classification System which it is recommending to the Commission was developed. We will report on the consultative process, in which we sought the views of the Canadian public at large, and of organizations concerned about the issue of violence on television and its effects on children, on the proposed Classification System. We will also report on progress in resolving the technical issues AGVOT brought to the Commission's attention in its report of Sept. 6, 1996, and which were part of the 1997 V-chip field trial, the largest of its kind in the world.
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