FTC Report: “Violent” Movies, Video Games Aim for Teens
I don’t like the direction this is going in…from the Washington Post, a Federal Trade Commission report has been published, and the results aren’t very good for gamers, game developers and companies, and movie studios. The FTC claims entertainment companies market their so-called “violent” material toward teens.
A draft report on the investigation shows that movie studios advertised violent R-rated movies during television shows with predominantly teen audiences. It also shows that producers of violent video games touted products suitable for “mature” users in magazines aimed at young teens, according to sources who are familiar with the report’s findings.
Investigators reviewed thousands of pages of internal documents from the entertainment industry, including market research showing that violent material is an effective lure to get young people to buy movie tickets, music and video games, sources say.
The FTC report, slated to be released next month, is likely to reignite the debate between Hollywood and Washington over the influence of media on the violent behavior of the nation’s youth. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) is planning to conduct a hearing next month on the still-confidential FTC report.
Vice presidential candidate Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), a frequent Hollywood critic, has expressed interest in testifying. The senator will make a final decision about testifying once he sees the results of the FTC investigation, according to Lieberman spokesman Dan Gerstein. However, an appearance could put Lieberman in a sensitive position because many of the high-dollar Democratic contributors include movie studio and other entertainment executives.
President Clinton ordered the FTC and the Justice Department to conduct the investigation last year in the wake of a series of school shootings, including the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., in which two students shot and killed 13 people and wounded others before taking their own lives. Clinton’s directive came after the Senate approved a similar proposal authored by McCain, Lieberman and others.
FTC spokesman Eric London refused to comment on the substance of the report prior to its public release. FTC commissioners are still reviewing the staff conclusions, which are subject to change.
In addition to surveying internal marketing documents, FTC investigators also found that the content codes voluntarily administered by the film, music and video game industries are poorly enforced.
FTC investigators found that underage children were frequently sold tickets to R-rated movies even though the Motion Picture Association of America’s own code bans youths under 17 from entering such movies unless accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
What do you make out of all this? Drop me a line. Do you think this is fair to gamers?
