S.R. 3

1

RESOLUTION URGING TELEVISION
2 NETWORKS TO AIR VIOLENT PROGRAMS
3 ONLY LATE AT NIGHT
4 2000 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Sponsor: Scott N. Howell
7 A RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE URGING TELEVISION NETWORKS TO LIMIT THE
8 BROADCASTING OF VIOLENT PROGRAMS TO LATE EVENING HOURS; URGING THE
9 MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA'S CLASSIFICATION AND RATINGS
10 ADMINISTRATION TO GIVE MORE RESTRICTIVE RATINGS TO VIOLENT FILMS; AND
11 URGING PRODUCERS OF VIDEO AND COMPUTER GAMES THAT ARE VIOLENT TO
12 SUPPORT RESTRICTIONS PROHIBITING ANYONE UNDER 21 FROM PURCHASING THE
13 GAMES.
14 Be it resolved by the Senate of the state of Utah:
15 WHEREAS, for many years the frequency and severity of violent acts portrayed in the
16 media, including television programs, motion pictures, and computer and video games, has steadily
17 increased;
18 WHEREAS, studies have demonstrated a link between the viewing of violent
19 entertainment and violent behavior, and express particular concern with the corrosive impact of
20 violent entertainment on children;
21 WHEREAS, entertainment rating systems alone have not curbed the exposure of children
22 to violent entertainment;
23 WHEREAS, motion picture, television, computer, and video game rating systems provide
24 parents with useful and important information, but also lure many youth to seek out more
25 restrictively rated entertainment;
26 WHEREAS, violence permeates much of televised entertainment and is typically broadcast
27 at times when it can easily be viewed by children;

28 WHEREAS, the level of violence in films which do not restrict child attendance has
29 increased sharply, particularly since the introduction of the PG-13 rating in 1984;
30 WHEREAS, producers of media containing violence should assume increased
31 responsibility to limit the exposure of children to its violent entertainment;
32 WHEREAS, television networks, which voluntarily apply their own ratings, should review
33 their programs and place a stronger rating on programs depicting violence and limit their broadcast
34 of those programs to late in the evening;
35 WHEREAS, the Motion Picture Association of America's Classification and Ratings
36 Administration should re-examine the rating system and institute a more restrictive standard than
37 is currently in place to rate films with violent content;
38 WHEREAS, companies manufacturing and selling computer and video games containing
39 graphic violence should support a restriction prohibiting anyone under 21 from purchasing the
40 games; and
41 WHEREAS, by shielding the nation's youth from violent entertainment, society can begin
42 to stem its appetite for violent entertainment:
43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the state of Utah urges
44 television networks to review their programs for violent content and place more restrictive ratings
45 on violent shows.
46 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the state of Utah urges the Motion
47 Picture Association of America's Classification and Ratings Administration to study the current
48 rating system and apply a more restrictive standard than is currently in use when rating films with
49 violent content.
50 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the state of Utah urges companies
51 manufacturing and selling computer and video games containing graphic violence to support a
52 restriction on the sales of the games to individuals 21 years of age or older.
53 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the National
54 Association of Broadcasters, the Motion Picture Association of America, the Classification and
55 Ratings Administration, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, Nintendo of America, Inc.,
56 the Sony Corporation, and Sega of America, Inc.

Legislative Review Note
as of 12-9-99 9:46 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel