Kid

Kids Television Market

Last Updated Oct 5, 2008 10:28 AM

Program Guides

55. Comments. Public interest groups, programmers, and other commenters generally support stations providing information about core programs to program guides on the ground that it would provide parents with advance notice of the scheduling of educational programs.(135) The National Telecommunications and Information Administration ("NTIA") commented that this proposal is one of the most important improvements we proposed in the NPRM, and will empower American parents by providing information to help them find programs that are good for their kids.(136) KIDSNET, a non-profit clearinghouse for information about educational programming, contended that providing information to program guides could increase audiences and program loyalty.(137) Disney advocated requiring licensees to provide information to program guide publishers, local newspapers, and any other publishers of material "reasonably calculated" to provide the identifying information to parents.(138)

NBC suggested that the Commission encourage the adoption of a universal symbol for educational kids's programs and urge broadcasters to include the symbol in information furnished to program listing services.(139) Broadcaster parties who favored our proposal argued generally that printed program information is preferable to on-air announcements or icons because it permits parents to pre-plan viewing.(140) Opponents claimed licensees should retain discretion over the means that they select to promote their educational programming.(141) Cosmos et al. argued that we lack the statutory authority to require that information regarding specifically designed programming be provided to program guides.(142)

56. NAB filed initial comments that opposed a requirement that broadcasters provide information on core programming to the program guides, stating that specially marked program listings would be likely to discourage viewing among older kids who refer to program guides.(143) In supplemental comments, however, NAB set forth its support for adopting rules to require broadcasters to "provide to program guide publishers information identifying core programming, including an indication of the age group for which the program is intended.(144)

57. Discussion. It is industry practice for broadcasters to provide programming information to program guides, which publish such information without cost to the broadcasters. Further, it has become a well-established practice to provide specialized information about programs, such as which programs are closed captioned for the hearing impaired. As broadcasters routinely provide such information about their programming to program guides and designate core programs for their public records, we believe it would require a minimum of effort, but have a major positive effect, for broadcasters to provide publishers of program guides and listings, information identifying core programs, and the age group for which, in the opinion of the broadcaster, the program is intended.(145) We recognize broadcasters cannot require guides to print this information. The information, however, is more likely to be in the program listings if broadcasters routinely provide it.

We believe program guides are an effective means of providing parents with advance notice of scheduling of educational programs. This information will assist parents in finding suitable programs for their kids and be useful to parents and others who wish to monitor station performance in complying with the CTA. We note that a number of broadcasters supported this proposal, and that the major networks now employ a voluntary parental advisory plan pursuant to which they provide to program guide services information indicating whether programs contain material that may be unsuitable for kids. We believe that a universal symbol for educational programming would also be useful in readily identifying such programming to the public, and encourage broadcasters to adopt such a symbol.

58. We disagree with Cosmos et al. that we lack the statutory authority to require broadcasters to furnish this information to program guides. As noted in the discussion of our statutory authority to require on-air identifiers, supra, we have adequate statutory authority under the CTA and under the Communications Act to require broadcasters to provide information about their core programming to the public. Just as on-air identifiers are necessary to fulfill the mandate of the CTA, providing information to program guides will improve the functioning of the kids's television market and make broadcasters more accountable to parents.

59. As with on-air identifiers, our broad authority under the Communications Act of 1934 to carry out the public interest requirement permits us to have broadcasters provide programming information where necessary to effectuate the public interest standard during the renewal process. Although we have not previously required broadcasters to furnish information to programming guides, we have required stations to broadcast certain on-air announcements,(146) to give public notice in a local newspaper for certain broadcast applications,(147) and to make available certain information in a public file.(148)

60. Section 303(r) provides ample authority for the programming information disclosure requirement because providing this information will help us make the Section 309(a) and (k) determination that grant of a renewal application is in the public interest. Therefore, we believe that we have the statutory authority to require broadcasters to provide programming information to programming guides.

See also Kid 619 1 - 8