The Coalition for Independent Ratings Services
is a non-profit organization that promotes independent ratings services. We believe is crucial that the groups rating the movies, TV, video games, etc are not the same ones who are trying to sell those products to you. Since they don't have a financial interest in any particular product, independent ratings providers can be much more objective.
The goal of this site is to be a "one-stop shop" for everything related to independent ratings systems and services.
Click the links above to
- Read our blog
- Read the latest news related to ratings
- See the most complete list of independent ratings on the web
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Tuesday, 15 September 2009 06:31 |
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 In the wake of the FCC’s review of parental control technologies for the 21st century, various advocacy groups have offered opinions on how to best protect children from indecent content on TV, online, and in movies and video games. Executive Director of the Coalition for Independent Ratings Services, Dominic Perri, offers his views in an article from The Catholic Review Online. Click here to view the article.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 September 2009 06:45 |
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Monday, 31 August 2009 08:33 |
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 Last week, the FCC announced that it would reassess the parental control abilities of the V-chip after critics have argued that the technology needs updating. It also stated that after its report on media blocking and rating technologies is delivered to Congress today, it will explore the possibility of a multiplatform ratings system. Chairman Julius Genachowski said:
"When you and I were kids, parents only had to worry about the TV in the living room with a small number of channels. Now they have to worry about the TV with a lot of channels because of cable, as well as computers, the mobile phones they carry around in their pockets."
But, reports Bloomberg, major broadcasters said that “a compulsory ratings system run by a third party would constitute compelled speech in violation of the First Amendment".
See this article from Broadcasting & Cable for more on this announcement. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 September 2009 12:14 |
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Monday, 24 August 2009 08:11 |
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 A recent study conducted by researchers at the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University (CAMY) has shown that alcohol advertisements have increased between 2001 and 2007 along with the percentage of teens in the audience. This increase comes despite the fact that, the report states, “in 2003, the Beer Institute and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), trade associations for their respective industries, adopted a “proportional” 30% maximum for underage audiences of programming where their members place their advertising.”
“Although alcohol-industry advertising spending increased very little on television between 2001 and 2007 (only 1.3% when adjusted for inflation), the number of alcohol product advertisements grew by 50.8%, from 225,619 in 2001 to 340,337 in 2007. The main reason for this increase was the tripling of alcohol advertising placements on cable television, from 51,019 in 2001 to 168,318 in 2007.”
For every 1% increase in teen audience, there was a 7% increase in beer ads, 15% for distilled spirits, and 15% in sweetly flavored grain beverages.
“The standard has not succeeded in limiting or reducing youth exposure to alcohol advertising on television. A leading industry spokesperson has referred to the standard as “proportional” because approximately 30% of the population is under age 21. Of this underage population, children under age two are not counted by Nielsen.”
To see the entire report, visit CAMY’s web site.
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Last Updated on Monday, 24 August 2009 08:39 |
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Monday, 10 August 2009 08:22 |
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Sixteen months ago, the children’s advocacy group Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood filed a complaint with the FTC about the marketing of violent PG-13 films to children by the Motion Picture Association of America. In response, the MPAA was asked to implement a marketing plan that mirrors the PG-13 rating with the warning: “Parents Strongly Cautioned: Some Material May be Inappropriate for Children Under 13.” However, the MPAA has yet to respond, and since March nearly 5,000 advertisements for five violent PG-13 films and their merchandise have aired on children’s TV networks.
Now, the CCFC has presented the FTC with a petition signed by more than 3,000 parents that states: “Marketing PG-13 films to young children sends a confusing message to parents and increases the likelihood that kids will be exposed to media content that even the film industry believes may be inappropriate for them.”
The CCFS’s Diane Levin stated:
“Families are undermined when violent films are advertised during children’s television programs—especially through toy promotions. It makes it harder for parents to deny requests to see the film when children are subjected to a steady stream of ads telling them that that products linked to the film are especially for them.”
See the CCFC's web site for more information on the petition. |
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Last Updated on Monday, 10 August 2009 08:40 |
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Monday, 03 August 2009 07:11 |
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 As the Entertainment Software Rating Board turns 15, president Patricia Vance is helping parents stay informed about a new avenue for media use and how they can protect their children from potentially harmful content. In her article entitled “Connecting Parents with Online-Enabled Video Games”, Vance discusses the impact the Internet has had on gaming and what parents should know about what their kids are playing online. For example, new trends like MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online) and DLC (Downloadable Content) let kids play games like “World of Warcraft” with almost anyone in the world or download just about any kind of gaming content. And just what can parents do to help kids make smart online choices? Vance offers tips like keeping the console in a public area of the house rather than in the child’s bedroom and checking the ESRB ratings and rating summaries for each game. The article in full can be seen here.
But children are also surfing the Internet for free online games—ones that aren’t rated by the ESRB. The Chicago Tribune recently offered ways in which parents can help their children surf safer for these games. These tips can be seen here.
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Last Updated on Monday, 03 August 2009 08:07 |
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