A letter from Senator Kent Conrad
Dear Friend,
I am writing to tell you about an important step in the battle to help give parents control over what their children see on TV.
Parents, educators and law enforcement officials across North Dakota tell me they are concerned that children are exposed to violent or sexually graphic shows on TV sets in their own family living rooms. They worry that this undermines the values they teach their children in their homes.
But most also rightly oppose government censorship. Instead, they believe parents need effective tools to help control what their children are exposed to on TV. That is why I introduced legislation in the 1990s to provide parents with technology to filter what is shown on their home TV sets. As a result, all televisions today must have what is known as a V-chip.
Now, a new website, www.TheTVBoss.org, is also available to help parents learn how to use the V-chip. The V-chip is an easy and effective way to give parents the ability to decide what shows their children watch. It gives families a way to protect their young ones from inappropriate content, and gives us all greater peace of mind.
Parents have enough to worry about today without having to fear how TV is eroding the values taught in the home. I encourage all parents to visit www.TheTVBoss.org and find out how the V-chip in their TV sets put them in control of what their children watch.
Sincerely,
KENT CONRAD
United States Senate