As reported on CNet, a bi-partisan bill to fund a federal study of the effects of media on children has survived a crucial committee vote and will now move forward.

The Children and Media Research Advancement Act (CAMRA) was proposed early in 2005 by U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Sam Brownback (R-NE).

GP: As a historical aside, CAMRA was one of the first stories ever covered on GamePolitics.

The "sweeping study" envisioned by CAMRA would be conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bill was passed by the Senate's Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Although the original version called for $90 million to fund the research, no amount was specified by the committee. Lieberman Press Secretary Rob Sawicki said a funding cap would be set during the congressional appropriations process.

CAMRA would mandate a review of the cognitive, physical and socio-behavioral impact of electronic media on child and adolescent development. Issues such as physical coordination, diet,sleeping habits, attention span, peer relationships and aggression levels might come under its purview. TV, movies, the Internet, mobile phones, and of course, video games would all be included.

"This is a big step toward helping parents get the information they need about the effect of media on their children," Lieberman said following the committee vote.

Marv Johnson, legislative counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), however, expressed concern that study results might be used to justify media content legislation. "Down the road when - if there is some sort of finding that there is harm in this - then we're going to see calls to regulate speech because of the potential harm. That's where there's going to be a problem."

A similar bill introduced by Rep. Edward Markey, (D-MA) has yet to be considered by the House.

GP: Don't sound the alarm bells just yet. With so many conflicting arguments about the effects of games, it's hard to argue with an actual study conducted by the CDC.

Conservative U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) has been in the news of late for a letter he sent to major retailers last week urging them to make holiday game shoppers aware of ESRB ratings and game content issues. Brownback went as far as to recommend that stores make parents aware of rating services other than the industry-funded ESRB:

"...please make parents aware of alternative independent ratings services. Groups such as Commonsense Media, Family Media Guide, and others who are part of the Coalition for Independent Ratings Services, provide detailed, objective information about the content of games currently on the market. I urge you to provide the small amount of space necessary for their brochures, which will further educate parents."

GamePolitics was more than a little surprised to see a heavy hitter like Brownback urging retailers to look at alternative rating services as an adjunct to the industry-standard ESRB. Naturally, we asked ESRB president Pat Vance for her reaction to Brownback's letter.

"ESRB is pleased that so many retailers are currently displaying educational materials and signage informing their consumers about the rating system and their store policies not to sell M-rated games to those under 17," Vance said.

"Considering that 8 out of 10 game purchases are made by or involve adults, we will continue our significant efforts to encourage parents to be better informed about games. We believe that being informed doesn't mean only checking the ratings, but also monitoring what children are playing, talking to other parents or older children about games they are considering for purchase, and visiting the numerous websites available that offer detailed reviews of games."

On Friday GamePolitics ran an exclusive report on a letter sent by conservative Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) to major video game retailers. In the letter Brownback urged stores to make parents aware of ESRB ratings, but also to alert parents to "alternative independent ratings services. Groups such as Commonsense Media, Family Media Guide, and others who are part of the Coalition for Independent Ratings Services..."

GamePolitics has received comment on the Brownback letter from the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA), a trade association which represents video stores.

"VSDA wholeheartedly agrees that all retailers of video games should provide information in their stores about video game ratings. Under VSDA's Pledge To Parents program, all VSDA members are provided with ratings education posters and are annually offered an opportunity to refresh their signage..."

"We do take issue with the suggestion that retailers are deficient in displaying information about video game ratings in their stores. The most recent comprehensive survey of retail video game signage was conducted by the Entertainment Software Rating Board in August 2005. ESRB audited 8,162 retail locations and found its signage displayed in 79% of them. We believe this audit shows that the vast majority of retailers are displaying information about video game ratings and demonstrates in a concrete and demonstrable way that retailers are committed to educating consumers about the ratings."

Yesterday's GamePolitics exclusive, revealing that conservative Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) had reached out to major video game retailers, met with a mixed, generally positive response by GP readers.

But it's certainly not the first time Brownback, said to have 2008 presidential aspirations, has charged into the political debate surrounding video game content. In April of this year, GamePolitics detailed how Brownback and the arch-conservative Rick Santorum (R-PA) joined with Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) in calling for a $90 million government-funded study of the effects of media on children.

Despite what you may have heard, it isn't only Democrats who are getting hands-on with video games these days...

GamePolitics has learned that an influential Senate Republican sent letters to several major retailers urging them to prominently display the video game ratings system.

Sam Brownback (R-KS), a conservative rumored to have 2008 presidential aspirations, circulated the letter to Best Buy, Blockbuster, Borders, Circuit City, Electronics Boutique/GameStop, Kmart, Sears, Target, Toys R Us, and Wal-Mart. The letter reads, in part:

"In order to provide parents with necessary information, I respectfully urge you to do two things. First, install or improve signage highlighting the importance of considering video game ratings. Parents must be made aware of the ratings system, and encouraged to choose games appropriate for their child's age. With greater education, parents who currently avoid buying games for their children may begin to see that many games are safe and even educational."

"The second thing I ask is that you please make parents aware of alternative independent ratings services. Groups such as Commonsense Media, Family Media Guide, and others who are part of the Coalition for Independent Ratings Services, provide detailed, objective information about the content of games currently on the market. I urge you to provide the small amount of space necessary for their brochures, which will further educate parents."

"I would like to applaud two retailers whose efforts to protect children and educate parents are worthy of recognition. Wal-Mart has done an excellent job... highlighting the ESRB ratings system, and keeping M-rated games out of children's hands. Additionally, Best Buy, Inc. had a one hundred percent success rate in a recent secret shopper investigation..."

Ed: Brownback is referring to Best Buy's performance in the recent NIMF Video Game Report Card...
( Read more... )

New York Senator Hillary Clinton made a big splash recently when she joined with a pair of arch-conservative Republican senators in calling for a $90 million study of the effects of media on children.

Also on board, as expected, is Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, a fellow Democrat, and longtime advocate of curbing violent content in video games and other forms of media. It is more than a little surprising, however, to find Sen. Clinton teaming with Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, best known for his controversial 2003 remarks likening gay Americans to those who practice incest and bigamy. Also joining with Mrs. Clinton was Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas. By partnering with Republican conservatives on safe issues that won't offend the Democratic base, the savvy Senator Clinton is subtly "de-liberalizing" her public persona well in advance of November, 2008.

It was just a year ago that Lieberman joined with Senators Clinton, Santorum, Brownback and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana in proposing the Children and Medical Research Advancement Act (CAMRA), a piece of legislation with much the same goals as the one proposed by Senator Clinton earlier this week. The CAMRA bill died in committee, however.

The renewed initiative is a win-win for Senator Clinton. Aside from Brownback, none of its other major backers are likely contenders for the 2008 presidential race. Thus, Hillary has made this issue hers. The only objections are likely to come from gamers and the video game industry, neither of whom can move the needle on public opinion. That is because gamers as a group are not politically organized at all, and are in many cases not even of voting age.

EDITOR'S NOTE:That's a pretty horrible 2004 picture of both Senators Clinton and Lieberman, who are Democrats. No surprise then, that it came from Republican Senator Brownback's website. He's the guy at the podium who looks commanding, or at least has his eyes open.