New PSAs Plug Video Game Ratings

Dec. 8, 2006 — -- It's the middle of December and kids all across the country have started to get excited for that long list of presents on its way from Santa. But this season, some children may not find any of the violent video games they asked for under the tree.

That's because the Entertainment Software Rating Board has unveiled two new public service announcements to educate parents about their video game rating system, which is designed to help keep kids from being exposed to games with violent or explicitly sexual content.

"The message must be sent to parents that they need to be making informed choices about the games they buy for their children," said Patricia Vance, president of the ESRB, at a press conference Thursday announcing the ads.

Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., were on hand to lend their support for the PSAs. Lieberman emphasized the need for adults to take a stand regarding what games come into their homes.

"Ultimately, this is about parents exercising some responsibility for what their children play and see," Lieberman said.

One of the ads that the ESRB will launch features a mom reminding parents where they can find the video game ratings on the package. Another features a teen talking to parents, telling them where to find additional information about what is in each game.

"Parents are really hungry for this information," Clinton said. "They want to know how to navigate this world."

The ESRB is an organization set up by the video game industry to self-regulate and assign ratings to games. Their rating system uses age-based criteria ranging from "E for everyone" to "T for teen" to "M for mature."

Each ESRB label, which is located on the front and back of every video game box, also includes what the ESRB calls a content descriptor. These tell parents what they will find in the video games, and include such phrases as "comic mischief," "simulated gambling," "sexual content" and "intense violence."

The PSAs are scheduled for delivery to about 800 television stations around the country. They will come with a letter from Clinton, in which she describes the ratings system, and encourages television stations to "consider airing these public service announcements as often as you can and, as importantly, during day parts when there is a sizable parent audience."