FCC COMMENT ON VIOLENT TELEVISION PROGRAMMING

Washington, DC, October 15, 2004 -- The Media Coalition filed a comment with the Federal Communications Commission in response to its Notice of Inquiry on the matter of violent television programming and its impact on children (click here to see the complete comment).  In the comment, the Media Coalition stated why federal restrictions on broadcast, cable, and satellite television with violent content would violate the First Amendment.  

In addition the statement questioned contemporary social science research that suggests a link between media with violent content and actual violence.  Three documents were submitted to support the concerns voiced about the research: "The Media Violence Scam" by Richard Rhodes, an amicus brief filed on behalf of thirty-three academics and Media scholars in Interactive Digital Software Association v. St. Louis County, and Shooting the Messenger by Judith Levine.