| The following categories
apply to programs designed solely for children: |
 |
All Children.
This program is designed to be appropriate for all children.
Whether animated or live-action, the themes and elements in
this program are specifically designed for a very young audience,
including children from ages 2-6. This program is not expected
to frighten younger children. |
 |
Directed
to Older Children. This program is designed for
children age 7 and above. It may be more appropriate for
children who have acquired the developmental skills needed
to distinguish between make-believe and reality. Themes and
elements in this program may include mild fantasy violence
or comedic violence, or may frighten children under the age
of 7. Therefore, parents may wish to consider the suitability
of this program for their very young children. |
 |
Note: For those programs where fantasy
violence may be more intense or more combative than other
programs in this category, such programs will be designated
TV-Y7-FV. |
| The following categories
apply to programs designed for the entire audience: |
 |
General
Audience. Most parents would find this program suitable
for all ages. Although this rating does not signify a
program designed specifically for children, most parents may
let younger children watch this program unattended. It contains
little or no violence, no strong language and little or no
sexual dialogue or situations. |
 |
Parental
Guidance Suggested. This program contains material
that parents may find unsuitable for younger children.
Many parents may want to watch it with their younger children.
The theme itself may call for parental guidance and/or the
program contains one or more of the following: moderate violence
(V), some sexual situations (S), infrequent coarse language
(L), or some suggestive dialogue (D). |
 |
Parents
Strongly Cautioned. This program contains some material
that many parents would find unsuitable for children under
14 years of age. Parents are strongly urged to exercise
greater care in monitoring this program and are cautioned
against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended.
This program contains one or more of the following: intense
violence (V), intense sexual situations (S), strong coarse
language(L), or intensely suggestive dialogue (D). |
 |
Mature
Audiences Only. This program is specifically designed
to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for
children under 17. This program contains one or more of
the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activity
(S), or crude indecent language (L). |
|
Finding the TV ratings:
A program’s rating appears in the upper left-hand corner
of the television screen for 15 seconds at the beginning
of the program. The ratings are also printed in some newspapers
and other program guides. News and sports programming is
not rated.
Using the V-Chip: The
V-chip is available in newly manufactured TV sets with screens
13” or larger. It works in conjunction with the TV
ratings system to allow parents to block programming they
do not want their children to see. After becoming familiar
with the TV ratings, parents can identify the level of programming
they want to block. Then, by following the directions in
the TV manual, parents can set the V-chip to block programs
with certain ratings. The settings are password protected
and can be changed at any time. For more information go
to www.tvguidelines.org.
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