Family-Geared Cable Package Sounds Appealing to Parents

By Dennis Tatz; DENNIS TATZ

The Patriot Ledger

The thought of packaging family-oriented cable television channels is enticing to some but depressing to others.

“Sex and violence makes TV what it is. No one’s going to watch TV if they get rid of all the sex and violence,” said Whitney Bennett, a freshman at Curry College in Milton.

Cheryl Singleton, 45, of Randolph, welcomed the idea of a cable TV package of family programming.

“I would definitely be interested in something like that,” said Singleton, who has a daughter at Randolph High School and a son attending college in Rhode Island. “I wish they had come up with this years ago.”

The National Cable and Telecommunications Association, which represents cable companies and programmers, told lawmakers Monday that cable giants Comcast and Time Warner Cable, along with several other major providers of cable service, are developing packages that would appeal to parents who want to shield their children from potentially offensive shows.

The family packages would be available early next year.

Alison Stahl, another freshman at Curry College in Milton, said parents already have the power to monitor their children’s TV viewing.

“The parents can block channels that they don’t want their kids to watch,” Stahl said. “They don’t need a special package.”

Kathy Fitzgerald, 41, of Weymouth, said she does her best to make sure that her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, is not seeing inappropriate things when she watches TV.

But it isn’t easy.

“With TV now, you even have to watch your child when there’s a commercial,” said Fitzgerald, a day-care provider. “If you are watching as a family and a condom commercial comes on, that’s not appropriate. A family channel wouldn’t do that.”

Fitzgerald, a Comcast subscriber, said she would be interested in a family cable package if one were available.

“Some of the reality shows you can’t let your kids watch,” she said. “We block out a lot of that stuff. If you don’t take control as a parent, you can’t blame the television industry.”

The cable industry’s interest in family-friendly programs is seen as a response to increased criticism from regulators, lawmakers and interest groups.

The movement gained momentum when pop singer Janet Jackson’s breast was bared briefly on national television during the halftime show at the 2004 Super Bowl.

Patriot Ledger reporter Joseph DeMartino contributed to this report.

Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.