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TV Ratings

"Who decides what is 'mature' anyway?"

Listen to this Commentary!

By Kelly Akah

Recently while watching The Real World, I noticed a small box on the left corner of my TV screen. It flashed for about 10 seconds and I was puzzled by what it said: TV-14, L. I thought to myself, "I've never seen this before — what is it?" So I did some research. I found out that these little rating boxes, created by the FCC, have been out for a long time.

TV networks rate the content of each show, just like the rating system on movies — you know, PG and PG 13. But the two rating systems are completely different. You would think that the experts in the entertainment industry would have the sense to make TV and movie ratings the same.

The TV-ratings go from Y, which means recommended for all children, to MA, which means mature audience only. Who decides what is "mature" anyway? I watch The Parkers, which is rated "R" every Monday with my family, but according to the ratings system, I should be watching something rated TV-14 such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch — but that show is way too childish for me!

Now it may seem obvious, but if TV ratings are for our parents, I'd bet most are like mine. 99% of the time my parents and I don't watch TV together.

I asked my mom what she thinks about these ratings and if she relies on them as a TV guide for me, a mature 14-year-old, or for my 9-year-old brother, Kyle. She says she doesn't pay attention to the TV ratings but she makes up her own mind about shows we should watch or not — especially for Kyle, since he's just a child.

Like me, my mom thinks most parents don't use the TV ratings because they are too confusing. I say make the ratings clearer and the same as the ones for movies — or better yet, let teens judge for themselves.

I'm Kelly Akah.

WBGO BACK ANNOUNCE Kelly Akah comes to us from Youth Radio New Jersey, a collaboration between Columbia High School, WBGO FM, and Youth Radio in Berkeley, California.