My new Spot-on column is up, called “The MPAA Blows Smoke,” and it’s all about the move by the Motion Picture Association of America to take smoking into account when rating films. While I have some sympathy for the intention, this is not an organization I trust particularly.
In my piece, I make reference to studies about the effects of violence. The FCC recently sent a report to Congress which called for tougher regulations on violent television programming. I spotted something relevant online this morning:
WSJ.com invited former FCC commissioner Gloria Tristani, who chaired the agency’s V-chip Task Force, to debate the topic with Rene Balcer, the executive producer of “Law & Order” and co-creator of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”
You can read the email exchange here.
Tags: MPAA, smoking, FCC, TV, violence, Gloria Tristani, Rene Balcer