Bloomberg is reporting that members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will look into adopting a universal ratings system for TV, games and mobile games after a report is delivered on August 31. The report will not give a specific recommendation, though it could lead to legislation.
The FCC has observed that children ages 8 to 18 spend five hours everyday watching TV, movies on DVD, playing games or spending time on computers. Because of this increasing diverse media environment, the agency is looking to ways it can block children from reaching inappropriate content.
Various independent parties, from The Walt Disney Co., News Corp., NBC Universal, and CBS all object to a universal rating system, as does the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). The ESA also issued a statement to Kotaku further describing their point.
"The ESA appreciates the FCC and its important role. However, the ESRB rating system is considered by parents, family advocates, the Federal Trade Commission, and elected officials as the gold standard in providing caregivers with the information they need to make the right choices for their families," said Rich Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs, at the ESA. "Universal ratings will, in the end, only serve to confuse consumers, violate the Constitution's first amendment, and are a solution in search of a problem."
3 Comments
August 31, 2009
"THe Gold Standard"? Are they serious?
The ESRB's approach has always been a joke. And having a rating system that is completely different than it's theatrical mentor is ridiculous.
Just look at how the two approach sex/nudity:
If you had the same amount of sex/nudity that is allowed in a film rated R, said game woud be easily rated AO. The opposite is true, of course, for violence.
Absolutely ridiculous.
August 31, 2009
lonelygirl, you don't know what you are talking about. The ESRB rating system is vastly superior to the MPAA rating system or the TV rating system. ESRB is open and easy to understand. The MPAA is closed and refuses to explain (even to movie companies) why they do certain things. The ESRB is much more strict than MPAA. Stuff that a PG-13 movie can get away with would cause a game to get a M rating.
August 31, 2009
Yeah, the double standards of game ratings compared to movie ratings is vast, especially when it comes to sex maters. It makes me wonder if the base ratings systems are even "compatible" with each other.