Publication Type: Media Release
Date: 8/15/2005Rob Stoddard/Brian Dietz, 202/775-3629
WASHINGTON, D.C.
– The cable industry's commitment to educate consumers about parental controls is taking a step forward with the distribution of a new 9-minute video that demonstrates how parents can use their remote control and existing set-top box to manage the programming that comes into their homes, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) said today.
The video provides consumers with a demonstration of how simple it is to use cable's parental controls and will be distributed to cable systems nationwide for airing on local origination channels, Video on Demand systems, in public meetings, and for ancillary delivery to customers.
The parental controls demonstration video is the newest element of the comprehensive "Take Control. It's Easy." initiative launched this spring to help families manage their home TV viewing and protect children from programming their parents may find inappropriate. Produced for NCTA by Renegade Productions of Hunt Valley, MD, two versions of the video have been created to provide unique parental control instructions for subscribers with Motorola set-top boxes and Scientific-Atlanta set-top boxes.
The video demonstrations initially were sent to cable operators via satellite last month. Due to increasing demand, a second satellite uplink has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 17. Included in the feed will be the two video demonstrations of cable's parental controls, as well as a 30-second "tune-in" spot. The videos and 30 second tune-in spot, which can all be "tagged" and customized by local systems, are available for viewing at the Control Your TV website (http://www.controlyourtv.org/DetailPage.php?PageID=29).
In addition, a DVD featuring both versions of the parental controls demonstration is now available. It's suitable for viewing during presentations, community meetings, or for direct distribution to consumers. Copies of the DVD are available to cable systems through an arrangement with Renegade Productions. For more information, contact the Communications & Public Affairs Department of NCTA, at 202/775-3629.
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NCTA is the principal trade association of the cable industry in the United States. NCTA represents cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks, as well as equipment suppliers and providers of other services to the cable industry.