MPAA Under Fire as FTC Asked to Examine Violent Movie Ads Targeting Kids

The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood on Wednesday sent a letter to the FTC demanding that the government stop films rated PG-13 being advertised to children, the NY Times reported.

The move explains why the Motion Picture Association of America was so unhappy with a BNET post on June 17 that claimed the movie industry’s self-regulation of kids’ TV advertising was “non-functional.” MPAA said in the comments section under the item it was “disappointed” in the piece. MPAA rates all advertising before it is aired; ergo, if it airs it must be OK.

BNET argued that MPAA had snookered the Children’s Advertising Review Unit, another ad watchdog which refers movie ads to the MPAA, into a relationship that guaranteed no movie advertising on kids’ TV would ever be regarded as over-the-line. CARU refers movie ads — including a recent one for Star Trek, which contained a bedroom scene featuring Captain Kirk and a green-skinned woman (pictured) — to MPAA, but the MPAA has never found any of them inappropriate for kids under 13.

CARU also expressed dismay at BNET, saying the item “either downplays or ignores” parts of the self-regulatory system. But CARU director Wayne Keeley did not point to any part of the MPAA-CARU pact which gave his body any teeth. As Keeley noted in the comments, all CARU’s complaints do is create “a public record of which films are being advertised to children.” That’s a stark contrast to all the other industries that deal with CARU. When they’re found wanting, CARU ultimately refers them to the FTC which then levies fines.

Now it emerges that the chess-playing between MPAA and CARU on BNET was merely a kabuki show prior to a potential shootout with the FTC.* The NY Times wrote:

[CCFC] complained that the FTC’s exhortation to the movie industry in 2007 to address concerns over the marketing of such sexualized and violent movies through self regulation has failed.

If you check BNET’s comments section here, you’ll see that the director of the CCFC, Susan Linn, used BNET as a dry run prior to sending today’s FTC letter.

CARU has referred 15 movies to MPAA that were rated PG-13 for violence, sex, drug use and language; the MPAA ultimately decided that all were within its advertising rules.

• Previously:
• CARU Snookered by MPAA on Advertising Violent or Sexy Movies to Kids
• Movie Studios Break Rules to Target Kids With Violent, Scary and Sexy DVDs

* Yes, it’s a mixed metaphor. Separately, readers and industry bodies are welcomed and encouraged to use BNET Advertising as a chess board for their pre-shootout kabuki shows.