NCTA President & CEO Kyle McSlarrow testified before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. He states that laws banning or restricting violent and indecent content on cable-TV systems would violate cable’s constitutional free-speech guarantees, given that filtering technology is readily available to parents.

In addition, the industry feels that the best way to address the issue is by empowering and educating parents and caregivers.

…in addition to offering the widest diversity of programming that viewers of all ages can enjoy, cable companies believe they have an important responsibility to provide customers with the necessary tools and resources to manage content that they deem offensive.

Since parents are best suited to make decisions about the appropriateness of TV programs for their household, the industry has dedicated itself to providing customers with easy-to-use tools that both inform parents about TV content and allow them to easily block unwanted programs. The combination of technology built into set top boxes that the majority of cable customers already have, plus an enhanced TV ratings system, enable parents to take charge of their home viewing environment.

And cable companies remain committed to airing PSAs in markets across the country, donating valuable air time, as part of the industry’s multifaceted effort designed to inform all customers about the tools they already have to make appropriate viewing decisions for their family.

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