The cable industry recently strengthened its commitment to help families better manage their TV viewing environment. The new commitment, rolled out under the banner Take Control. It's Easy., is a continuation of the Cable Puts YOU in Control public education campaign first introduced in 2004.
The Take Control. It's Easy. initiative comprises a series of commitments that most companies in the industry have agreed to honor. In order to help MSOs and cable systems meet these commitments, NCTA has developed a set of template materials and resources. Listed below are several of the commitments that most MSOs have agreed to honor, along with links to the corresponding template materials. “Questions and Answers Regarding the Cable Industry's Commitment to Help Parents Control Their Family TV Viewing” gives a complete explanation of Cable Puts YOU in Control: Take Control. It's Easy., and more specific details about how cable's customers can control TV content in their homes.
Commitment: Run public service announcements (PSAs) about parental controls beginning in May 2005 to help the industry fulfill its overall commitment to a public education campaign valued at $250 million.
Resource: Over the past year NCTA has made a number of PSAs available to the industry, including the distribution in late May via satellite of two new PSAs, “From a Distance,” produced by MTV Networks, and “Maya Angelou,” produced by Hallmark. These new PSAs, which also are available in Spanish language and customizable versions, can be previewed on the controlyourtv.org website. BetaSP tapes of the spots also are available by contacting Allison Shelton in NCTA's Communications & Public Affairs Department at 202-222-2350 or ashelton@ncta.com.
NCTA also encourages cable systems to make a PSA with a local policymaker for use on local systems, and has developed a suggested template script.
NCTA will be contacting cable systems monthly with a form to report how often systems have been running the PSAs. New this year, NCTA will also be requesting the value of the airtime used in running the PSAs. This information is critical to help track progress toward the industry's overall $250 million goal. Here is a sample reporting form.
Commitment: Where video on demand (VOD) is available, companies will create and make available a VOD presentation on parental controls.
Resource: NCTA is creating a customizable video presentation for cable systems' use on VOD if needed. Also being created is a 30-second spot to “advertise” the VOD presentation on barker channels and local avails. Of course, these materials could also be used on local origination channels. NCTA hopes to have these elements available to systems before the end of June.
Commitment: Companies will provide, on a quarterly basis, notification of parental controls to customers on or in their monthly bills beginning in the third quarter of 2005.
Resource: NCTA has created suggested template messages for placement on monthly statements. Also available are additional customer communication templates for on-hold messages, digital cable box messages and on-screen scroll and crawl messages. Alternatively, the brochure “Parental Control Tips – Choosing TV Programs that Are Right for Your Family” can be used as a bill stuffer. This brochure, customizable with a system's logo, can be ordered from CTSi. The brochure is also available in Spanish.
Commitment: Companies will ensure that installers provide new and upgrade customers with written information about parental controls available to them.
Resource: The brochure “Parental Control Tips – Choosing TV Programs that Are Right for Your Family” can be used for this purpose as well. As mentioned above, this brochure is customizable with a system's logo and can be ordered from CTSi.
Commitment: Companies will work to improve training of customer contact personnel so they can provide information or answer questions about parental controls.
Resource: NCTA has also created specs for two posters, which complement the talking points. Once customized and printed, thes posters are suitable to post on a bulletin board in the office, or electronically via an online bulletin board. These posters are available in two versions, each offered in letter and poster sizes, respectively, including an 8-1/2"x11" bulleted format; an 8-1/2"x11" Q&A format; a 24"x30" bulleted format; and a 24"x30" Q&A format. Download all of the posters here.
Resource: NCTA has developed a set of talking points for use by customer contact personnel.
Commitment: Companies will provide information about parental controls on the homepage of their website (can be an icon that directs people for more information) by May 1, 2005.
Resource: In order to help fulfill on this commitment, in early May NCTA sent to public affairs executives at MSOs' corporate headquarters an email alerting them to the availability of generic and customizable uniform icons and banners for use with their website(s). These web banners and icons are still available for downloading at http://mytv.controlyourtv.org/mediakit/. Should systems choose to use any of these materials, NCTA strongly recommends that they provide the user one-click access to information about THEIR company's suite of parental controls and how to use them.
Two additional components of the industry's overall commitment call for companies to continue to make free channel blocking equipment available on request to customers with no other channel blocking equipment available to them, and for companies to conduct local events focusing on parental controls and media literacy. Further information on free blocking can be found in “Questions and Answers Regarding the Cable Industry's Commitment to Help Parents Control Their Family TV Viewing.”
Questions about Take Control. It's Easy. or any of the toolkit elements? Please contact NCTA Communications and Public Affairs at 202-222-2350.