Today, TV Watch unveiled a new public service announcement (PSA) as part of the #SafeTV educational campaign. “Taking Control of what your family sees on TV is as easy as 1-2-3,” states the PSA which comes on the heels of a new #SafeTV infographic and our new presence on Pinterest.

Parents have consistently stated they wish to be in control of the content their children watch and are satisfied with the tools they’re using to take control. This PSA educates parents on the meaning of the content ratings and the simple steps to activate the parental controls, both of which are currently available to everyone.  Maintaining a television viewing environment consistent with a child’s age and the family’s values truly is easy as steps 1-2-3.”

The PSA which can be viewed below walks through the 1-2-3 #SafeTV process:

• Step 1: Learn the ratings.
• Step 2: Decide what shows are right for your family.
• Step 3: Set the parental controls.

Read more about #SafeTV here.

Today is the launch of TV Watch’s latest campaign “#Safe TV,” an educational campaign to remind parents that when it comes to television content, taking control is easy as 1-2-3. By asking TV Watch members to share a number of exciting new resources in their communities and through social networks.

TV Watch is unveiling new resources to help parents spread the word about how simple it is to utilize the parental controls and content ratings including:

• 1-2-3 Safe Infographic: Based on the group’s “1-2-3 Safe TV” tutorial, the infographic charts the course for safe television viewing and is sharable across social networks and embeddable on websites.  Go here to view and share the infographic.

• Pinterest: The new TV Watch Pinterest page will feature TV Watch infographics and other helpful boards for parents and others to share and utilize.

In April, the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board delivered key findings of a survey that showed:

• 72 percent of parents report having rules about TV use;
• 68 percent of parents say they use the TV ratings system;
• 88 percent of parents are aware that the TV ratings system provides guidance based on the age of the child;
• 36 percent of parents use either a V-Chip or cable/satellite-provided parental controls and
• 95 percent of parents who use the ratings most often find them helpful.

Learn more about #SafeTV here.

Parents, it’s time to put on our thinking caps rather than our sleeping caps.

According to an article by Dennis Rosen, M.D., when asked why they allowed their children to have a TV in the bedroom, many parents stated they, “felt it made it easier for them or they allowed it to happen without much forethought.” This is an important decision best left to the parents, but rather than allowing things to happen without much forethought, there are a number of tools that allow parents to become active participants in the decision making process and take the time to consider how certain decisions affect their family.

Should a TV be permitted in the bedroom, parents should remember the power lies within themselves to make informed decisions what media content their child should be exposed to. The good news is there are tools available to help parents who want to exercise greater control. These include learning about TV ratings to the V-Chip, which is a great option for any parent concerned about viewing behind closed doors.

With the decorations taken down and the confetti all cleaned up, the New Year is officially in full swing. As parents are busy getting ready to head back to work and the kid’s are off to school once again, it can be difficult to keep those New Year’s Resolutions. While genuine and filled with good intention, resolutions often fail at an abysmal rate. Nearly 40 to 45 percent of American adults make at least one resolution during New Year’s, however, only 75 percent actually maintain that resolution for a week and less than half stick with it in the long-run. However, here is one resolution we’re making it easy to keep all year long.

Resolve that 2013 will be the year you take control of the TV in your own home.  Taking the time to learn more about the simple tools available to parents will not only benefit you and your family now, but at many critical points throughout the year, including spring break, summer vacation, back to school and the holidays. With so many choices to sort through, it’s important for parents to know about the tools they have at their fingertips to help discern which options are best for their family.

Parents who want to take control can resolve to:

Learn the Ratings: Parents who wish to utilize the ratings should take the time to learn them and stay up to date by reviewing them regularly. More information about the ratings can be found at the TV Watch website or in this helpful video.

Use the Tools: TV continues to be the dominant form of media used by children ages 0 to 11, and parental controls, in the form of the V-Chip or cable/satellite controls, are a great way to have control over what kids watch. The TV Watch “Easy As Toast” tutorial has all the information parents need.

Monitor: According to a TV Watch survey, 73 percent of parents monitor what their children watch on TV. At the same time, 59 percent of children have a TV set in their room (Harris Interactive), so setting the parental controls on those TV’s is an easy way to maintain control. Also, when your child is going to a friend’s house, inform the other parents about your rating standards. A simple phone call, email or note is a great way to make sure values are protected outside of your home. Parents can also fill out TV Watch’s free Parent-To-Parent Information card that allows them to easily pass along this information.

Spread the Word: TV Watch is encouraging parents to recommend “Television Tools for Parents 101″ to other parents and pass along five free ratings reference stickers that can be applied to the back of the remote control. These stickers are a great reference for parents and can be obtained for free through the TV Watch website.

By taking these simple steps, you can at last keep a resolution and make critical improvements to your family’s lifestyle.

2013 has arrived and with it a host of New Year’s Resolutions.  With another year behind us, now is a great time to resolve to take control of what the kids are watching on television.  Whether that is spending more time watching the shows they keep asking about, learning more about the content ratings or the parental control technologies, it is important to remember that parents are the chief decision makers when it comes to TV.

The Asheville Citizen-Times has some tips that may be helpful in your plans to monitor what your kids watch.

Make a plan

Parents should set limits early on, depending on each child’s age or aptitude,” says Monty Fuchs, director of technology at Buncombe County Schools. Kids need boundaries and consistent encouragement to engage in alternative activities, like exercise, he adds.

Get involved

“Understand technology and what’s out there for young children and teens,” says Scott W. Governo, DNP, family and pediatric nurse practitioner with the Developmental Pediatrics Team at Mission Children’s Hospital. Governo has two teenage boys. “Remain actively involved and talk with kids to learn about where they go, what they watch, and how often they access their devices.”

Control the environment

“Phones should go on the charger located in the kitchen at a reasonable time each night and computer/TV use should be in common areas, where anyone can see what is on the screen,” says Fuchs.

Be flexible, when appropriate

David Ramsey, a parent in Leicester, allows more screen time when it’s “creative, collaborative, nonviolent and educational,” he says.

“Ultimately, (kids) look to parents to be their guides,” agrees Ramsey. “That’s our job.”

Read the full story from writer Pam J. Hecht here.

Ask any kid what they’re looking forward to this week and you’ll most definitely hear something about Halloween. Pumpkin carving, fall crafts and planning for that exciting night of trick-or-treating will create many memories to last a lifetime. Any parent will tell you this week is also full of many decisions.  From appropriate costumes, whether to visit the haunted house down the street or which Halloween specials are OK to watch, parents are tasked with deciding what’s best for their kids in a number of ways.

The number of television specials and Halloween centered sitcom episodes can feel a bit overwhelming. TribLive’s Kellie B. Gormly has some suggestions that might help you find some content for your children.  In order to determine what material is appropriate for the whole family to watch, parents can easily review one of our tutorials to learn all the latest tips-and-tricks about parental controls and content ratings. Our website features everything from V-Chip instructions to detailed descriptions of the TV ratings system to ensure your family’s TV viewing fits with your style and values.

As Gormly puts it, “if you’re not monitoring closely what your children are watching on television, ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ might become nightmare on your street.”

To learn more about toning down the scare factor for kids this Halloween, read the full article here.

Use our downloadable guide to take control of what your kids watch this Halloween.

With a new school year successfully under way, families are finally adjusting to new friends, teachers, workloads and schedules.  As a parent, keeping up with it all can be a chore by itself, so there is no reason that preparing for a new television lineup should be an added burden.

To help parents prepare, TV Watch is reminding them that now is the time to take a few minutes to review the content ratings and adjust the parental controls in their homes.  The broad-based coalition that opposes government control of TV programming and promotes the use of tools like content ratings and parental controls is also providing educational resources about the existing tools to manage family TV viewing as dozens of new shows hit the airwaves.

Recent data from the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board indicates 72 percent of parents report having rules about TV use.  In order to help parents effectively manage and enforce their family’s rules, TV Watch is encouraging parents to learn about the new shows airing this fall, review the content ratings, utilize parental controls if needed and help spread the word to others.

• New Programming: While parents may already be familiar with what is permissible for their kids to watch, this fall includes a host of new shows.  A listing of this season’s new shows can be found by following this link.  Take note of what your kids are asking to watch, and review the content and ratings for these shows.
• Review the Ratings: The TV Parental Guideline Ratings System was modeled after movie ratings to give parents easy-to-follow warnings regarding the content and age-appropriateness of TV programs. The ratings can be found here.  This summer, seven broadcast networks announced their commitment to making content ratings for their shows available on websites they control.  According to the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, 68 percent of parents say they use the TV ratings system and 88 percent of parents are aware that the TV ratings system provides guidance based on the age of the child.  Ninety-five percent of parents who use the ratings most often find them helpful.
• Utilize Parental Controls: According to the TV Parental Guideline Ratings System more than one-third of parents use either a V-Chip or cable/satellite-provided parental controls and TV Watch studies indicate 83 percent of parents are satisfied with the effectiveness of the V-Chip and other blocking tools. TV Watch has created an easy guide to help parents understand the basic tools and information, and takes parents through the simple process of activating parental controls.  ”Television Tools for Parents 101” can be viewed online or downloaded and printed to keep handy next to the TV.
• Spread the Word: TV Watch makes it easier than ever to spread the word to other parents about how they, too, can utilize these tools to take control in their own homes.  While 73 percent of parents monitor what their children watch on TV, many might have concerns when it comes time for an afternoon or overnight visit at a friend’s house. Consider using this Parent-To-Parent Information card to easily inform other parents about your own tastes and values.  Recommend “Television Tools for Parents 101” to other parents so they understand the ratings and, if they choose, how to set their parental controls, or print this Remote PATROL poster to distribute at church or school group gatherings.  TV Watch also offers Spanish-language resources, which can be found here.

According to recent reports from global consumer & media insight group Nielsen, about 75% of the estimated five million homes are opting out of traditional cable packages and instead using them to play games, DVDs or stream content from online.

“We are starting to see fundamental differences in the way people are consuming video,” said Horizon Media researcher Brad Adgate. “The TV won’t go the way of the land line in homes, but you look at the top five most popular YouTube channels and they’re watched by under 35-year-olds.”

While this creates a whole new media landscape, it does not change the responsibility and need of parents to monitor their children media consumption. New technology presents kids with the option to not only what what they want, but also whenever they want it and on varying platforms that can prove difficult for parents to keep track of.

We have compiled a list of tips and tools parents can reference to get the latest information and gain a firm grasp on media monitoring. Our Television Tools for Parents 101 is a downloadable guide that is easy to share with other parents or guardians to help you take control of what your family is watching. With a few simple clicks of the remote, you can rest easy knowing your children are engaging in safe content – no matter it’s source.

Read the full article here.

With so much programming and content on so many different mediums these days, parents are often left wondering how to take the first step in managing what their children are viewing. Karen Ann Cullotta offers some advice writing in the Chicago Tribune “To be sure, parents can shield kids by carefully monitoring their TV consumption.”

Jerald L. Newberry, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Education Association’s Health Information Network “urges parents to remain vigilant about limiting their children’s access to technology. He recommends that children’s bedrooms be technology-free zones, and that parents limit TV viewing and computer use to public spaces in the home, which can be more easily monitored. But, Newberry acknowledges, it can be difficult for parents to limit the media exposure of a child who is visiting a friend for a play date, or a teen hanging out at a friend’s house.”

One of Newberry’s recommendations is “Don’t be afraid to call parents of your child’s friends to ensure there is supervision of media use.”  TV Watch has made this task easier by creating the Parent-To-Parent Information card to easily allow parents to fill out and pass along to other parents information about their family’s viewing standards.  The card also includes an explanation of the television content ratings.

Lastly, Marisa Connolly with our friends over at Common Sense Media notes, “parents need to actually participate in their children’s media life, to provide a context, which is so important. You have to be there for them.”

Read the full article here.

There’s some interesting news out from the Supreme Court today related to the FCC’s past decisions on television content.  Our Executive Director weighs in saying:

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court re-emphasizes what we have been advocating all along:  That parents, not the Government, are the best arbiters of what their children should be watching on TV.  In the one-third of American homes with children, parents have tools such as the V-Chip and content ratings to help them make decisions about what their children watch based on the age of the child and their family’s tastes and values.”

Read more here.