TV Parental Guidelines

{{Short description|United States television age-based ratings}} {{Use American English|date=May 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

The '''TV Parental Guidelines''' are a [[television content rating system]] in the United States that was first proposed on December 19, 1996, by the [[United States Congress]], the American television industry, and the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC). The system was introduced on January 1, 1997, on most major [[terrestrial television|broadcast]] and [[cable network]]s in response to public concerns<ref>{{cite news |title=Cable agrees to monitor violence |first=Richard |last=Katz |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15142788.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522233100/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15142788.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 22, 2013 |newspaper=[[Multichannel News]] |publisher=[[NewBay Media]] |date=January 17, 1994 |access-date=March 11, 2013}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> about increasing amounts of mature content in television programs. The system consists of six age-based ratings, as well as content descriptors (designated by letters displayed underneath the rating symbol) specifying content such as suggestive dialogue (D), sexual situations (S), coarse language (L), and/or violence (V).

The ratings are generally applied to most television series, [[television film]]s and edited broadcast or basic cable versions of theatrically released films. They are not typically used for news or sports broadcasts. [[pay television|Premium channels]] also assign ratings from the TV Parental Guidelines on broadcasts of some films that have been released theatrically or on [[home video]], either if the [[Motion Picture Association]] did not assign a [[Motion Picture Association film rating system|rating]] for the film or if the channel airs an [[Unrated films|unrated]] version of a film.

The TV Parental Guidelines are a [[Self-regulatory organization|self-regulatory]] scheme that was voluntarily adopted by the United States' broadcasting industry, and do not have legal force for programmers. Federal law requires televisions manufactured since 2000, and all [[digital television]] receivers, to include [[parental controls]] that allow programming to be filtered based on their TV Parental Guidelines rating (typically referred to as "[[V-chip]]").<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |date=2007-03-28 |title=V-chip maker in merger |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/v-chip-maker-merger-132926/ |access-date=2026-04-24 |language=en-US |via=The Hollywood Reporter |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> == Development of the guidelines == In 1993, the four major American broadcast networks ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], and [[NBC]]) began airing disclaimers before programs with violent content. This came amid increasing concern over the [[effects of violence in mass media]], and was described by ''[[The Washington Post]]'' as an attempt to avoid government-imposed regulations.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1993/07/02/a-warning-label-for-tv/10805704-b790-4eab-89d9-294a5bb8a875/|title = A WARNING LABEL FOR TV|last = Mann|first = Jody|date = July 2, 1993|accessdate = April 12, 2025|newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]|url-access = limited}}</ref> Three years later, the [[Telecommunications Act of 1996]] was passed, which called upon the entertainment industry to establish, within one year, a voluntary television rating system to provide parents with advance information on material in television programming that might be unsuitable for their children. This rating system would work in conjunction with the [[V-chip]], a device embedded in television sets that enables parents to block programming they determine to be inappropriate.<ref name="Industry Letter">{{cite web|author=[[Jack Valenti]]|display-authors=etal|date=January 17, 1997|title=Letter to William F. Caton of the FCC from the television industry establishing a voluntary system of parental guidelines for rating television programming|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Public_Notices/1997/fc97034a.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111023143807/http://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Public_Notices/1997/fc97034a.pdf|archive-date=October 23, 2011|access-date=July 24, 2013|format=PDF}}</ref>

On February 29, 1996, all segments of the entertainment industry, led by the [[National Association of Broadcasters]] (NAB), the [[National Cable & Telecommunications Association]] (NCTA), and the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] (MPAA), joined and voluntarily pledged to create such a system. They agreed that the guidelines would be applied by broadcast and cable networks in order to handle the large amount of programming that must be reviewed – some 2,000 hours a day. The guidelines would be applied episodically to all programming based on their content, except for news, sports and advertising.<ref name="Industry Letter" />

The same year on December 19, the industry announced the creation of the TV Parental Guidelines, a voluntary system of guidelines providing parents with information to help them make more informed choices about the television programs their children watch. The guidelines were modeled after the [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|movie ratings system]] created by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] in 1968. The television industry agreed to insert a ratings icon on-screen at the beginning of all rated programs, and to encode the guidelines for use with the V-chip.<ref name="TV Ratings">{{cite news |title=TV Networks Ring in the Ratings to Start the New Year |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-156963998.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106075405/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-156963998.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |work=[[Albany Times Union]] |date=January 2, 1997 |access-date=July 24, 2013}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> The industry also created a Monitoring Board, composed of TV industry experts, to ensure accuracy, uniformity and consistency of the guidelines and to consider any public questions about the guideline applied to a particular program.<ref name="Industry Letter" /> The TV Parental Guidelines went into use on January 1, 1997.<ref name="TV Ratings"/>

In response to calls to provide additional content information in the ratings system,<ref>{{cite news |title=Parents Do Not Find New Television Ratings System Helpful, Study Says |agency=Knight Ridder|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53026532.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106075413/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53026532.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |department=Business News |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=September 25, 1998 |access-date=July 24, 2013}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> on August 1, 1997, the television industry, in conjunction with representatives of children's and medical advocacy groups, announced revisions to the rating system. Under this revised system, television programming would continue to fall into one of the six ratings categories (TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14 or TV-MA), but content descriptors would be added to the ratings where appropriate, based on the type(s) of objectionable content included in the individual program or episode: D (suggestive dialogue), L (coarse language), S (sexual content), V (violence) and FV (fantasy violence – a descriptor exclusively for use in the TV-Y7 category).<ref>{{cite web|title=Commission Seeks Comment on Revised Industry Proposal for Rating Video Programming (CS Docket No. 97-55)|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Public_Notices/1997/fcc97321.html|work=Public Notice|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=July 24, 2013|date=September 9, 1997}}</ref>

Further, the proposal stated that the icons and associated content symbols would appear for 15 seconds at the beginning of all rated programming, and that the size of the icons would be increased.<ref>{{cite web|title=Revised Industry Proposal for Rating Video Programming|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/vchip/revprop.html|publisher=Publication from the television industry|access-date=July 24, 2013|author=Jack Valenti |display-authors=etal |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140524072947/http://transition.fcc.gov/vchip/revprop.html|archive-date=May 24, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Notice of proposed rulemaking on technical requirements to enable blocking of programs based on program ratings (FCC 97–340, ET Docket No. 97-206)|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Notices/1997/fcc97340.pdf|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=July 24, 2013|format=PDF|date=September 25, 1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020193114/http://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Notices/1997/fcc97340.pdf|archive-date=October 20, 2011|archive-format=PDF|url-status=live}}</ref> The revised guidelines were supported by leading family and child advocacy groups, as well as television broadcasters, cable systems and networks, and television production companies. Finally, the revised proposal called for five representatives of the advocacy community to be added to the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board. On March 12, 1998, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] found that the Industry Video Programming Rating System was acceptable,<ref>{{cite web|title=Implementation of Section 551 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 Video Programming Ratings (FCC 98-35, CS Docket No. 97-55)|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/1998/fcc98035.html|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=July 24, 2013|date=March 13, 1998}}</ref> and adopted technical requirements for the V-chip.<ref>{{cite web|title=Technical Requirements to Enable Blocking of Video Programming based on Program Ratings (FCC 98-36, ET Docket No. 97-206)|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Orders/1998/fcc98036.html|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=July 24, 2013|date=March 13, 1998}}</ref>

The TV Parental Guidelines have since been voluntarily adopted by [[Streaming television|streaming services]] in the United States,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eggertonlast |first=John |date=2021-09-28 |title=Industry Board Calls for Content-Based ‘TV Ratings’ for Streaming Services |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/industry-board-calls-for-tv-ratings-for-streaming-services |access-date=2026-04-24 |website=Broadcasting+Cable |language=en}}</ref> such as [[HBO Max]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Rick |date=2020-05-28 |title=HBO Max review: A rough start, but plenty of potential |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/hbo-max-review-hands-on-impressions/ |access-date=2026-04-24 |website=Digital Trends |language=en-us}}</ref> Hulu, and Netflix.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Liz Shannon |date=2018-04-11 |title=Netflix Beefs Up Its Content and Ratings Warnings |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/netflix-ratings-warnings-on-screen-1201951052/ |access-date=2026-04-24 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}}</ref> These classifications are usually used for non-film programming such as television series (including programs that had previously been aired on television). Films are usually classified using MPA ratings if available, but TV Parental Guidelines-based ratings are typically used as a fallback if the film does not carry an MPA rating.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Ashawnta |date=2022-05-08 |title=Film and TV Ratings in the Streaming Age |url=https://daily.jstor.org/film-and-tv-ratings-in-the-streaming-age/ |access-date=2026-04-24 |website=JSTOR Daily |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kearse |first=Stephen |date=2020 |title=Department of Comstockery: Who's afraid of unrated content? |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26975641 |journal=The Baffler |issue=53 |pages=52–59 |doi=10.2307/26975641?mag=film-and-tv-ratings-in-the-streaming-age |issn=1059-9789}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

In June 2021, creators, writers, and directors of [[List of animated television series|TV animation]] in a report for the website ''[[Insider Inc.|Insider]]'' said that one of the forms of pressure to have less overt depiction of LGBTQ+ characters or culture was the TV Parental Guidelines system, resulting in domestic and international content being cut out of episodes. One of the criticisms was that the rarely updated guidelines offer no guidance on LGBTQ+ representation and the ratings are only changed "in the face of complaints".<ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Abbey|url=https://www.insider.com/why-tv-lacks-lgbtq-inclusion-according-to-experts-2021-6|title=TV animators were forced to scrap LGBTQ-inclusive storylines due to a culture of fear. Experts say fans are changing that.|website=[[Insider (website)|Insider]]|date=June 15, 2021|access-date=June 16, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210616194517/https://www.insider.com/why-tv-lacks-lgbtq-inclusion-according-to-experts-2021-6|archive-date=June 16, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2026, the FCC opened a public review into the TV Parental Guidelines scrutinizing the incorporation of "controversial [[gender identity]] issues" in programming rated as being appropriate for children, a move that has been considered as being part of the [[Second presidency of Donald Trump|second Trump administration's]] ongoing [[Persecution of transgender people under the second Trump administration|attacks against transgender people]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horton |first=Adrian |date=2026-04-22 |title=Trump’s FCC weighs whether to flag shows with trans or non-binary ‘programming’ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/22/trump-fcc-inquiry-gender-identity-tv-shows |access-date=2026-04-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Manfredi |first=Lucas |date=2026-04-22 |title=FCC Launches Review Into TV Parental Guidelines, Concerns Over Depicting 'Gender Identity Issues' |url=https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/business/fcc-tv-parental-guidelines-review/ |access-date=2026-04-23 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Ratings ==   The direct description of each rating from the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board is listed above the extended ratings description in italics.

=== TV-Y === [[File:TV-Y icon.svg|50px|right]] ''This program is designed to be appropriate for all children.''<ref name="fcc.gov">{{cite web |url=https://transition.fcc.gov/vchip/ |title=V-chip: Viewing Television Responsibly |website=FCC V-chip |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |year=2000 |access-date=July 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215071047/http://transition.fcc.gov/vchip/ |archive-date=December 15, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Designed to be appropriate for children of all ages. The thematic elements portrayed in programs with this rating are specifically designed for a very young audience, including children from ages 2 to 6.

=== TV-Y7 === {{stack begin}} [[File:TV-Y7 icon.svg|50px|right]] [[File:TV-Y7-FV icon.svg|50px|right]] {{stack end}} ''This program is designed for children age 7 and above.''<ref name="fcc.gov" /> Designed for children age 7 and older. The FCC states that it "may be more appropriate for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish between make-believe and reality".<ref name="fcc.gov" /> The thematic elements portrayed in programs with this rating contain mild fantasy and comedic violence.

''Programs where fantasy violence may be more intense or more combative.''<ref name="fcc.gov" /> Programs given the "FV" content descriptor exhibit more 'fantasy violence'<ref name="fcc.gov" /> and are generally more intense or combative than other programs rated TV-Y7.

=== TV-G === [[File:TV-G icon.svg|50px|right]] ''Most parents will find this program suitable for all ages.''<ref name="fcc.gov" /> Programs are generally suitable for all audiences, though they may not necessarily contain content of interest to children. The FCC states that "this rating does not signify a program designed specifically for children, [and] most parents may let younger children watch this program unattended".<ref name=TVGL/> The thematic elements portrayed in programs with this rating contain little or no violence, mild language, and little or no sexual dialogue or situations.<ref name="TVGL">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvguidelines.org/resources/TheRatings.pdf |title=Understanding the TV Ratings |date=January 22, 2010 |website=The TV Parental Guidelines |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731000958/http://www.tvguidelines.org/ratings.htm |archive-date=July 31, 2013}}</ref>

=== TV-PG === [[File:TV-PG icon.svg|50px|right]] ''This program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children.''<ref name="fcc.gov" /> Programs may contain some material that parents or guardians may find [[age appropriateness|inappropriate for younger children]]. Programs assigned a TV-PG rating may include infrequent coarse language, some sexual content, some suggestive dialogue, or moderate violence.

=== TV-14 === [[File:TV-14 icon.svg|50px|right]] ''This program contains material that many parents would find unsuitable for children under 14 years of age.''<ref name="fcc.gov" /> Programs contain material that parents or adult guardians may find unsuitable for children under the age of 14. The FCC warns that "parents are cautioned to exercise some care in monitoring this program and are cautioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended".<ref name="fcc.gov"/> Programs with this rating contain intensely suggestive dialogue, strong coarse language, intense sexual situations or intense violence.<ref name="TVGL" />

=== TV-MA === [[File:TV-MA icon.svg|50px|right]] ''This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.''<ref name="fcc.gov" /> Contains content that may be unsuitable for children. This rating was originally '''TV-M''' prior to the announced revisions to the rating system in August 1997 but was changed due to a trademark dispute and in order to remove confusion with the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]]'s (ESRB) "M for Mature" rating for [[video games]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Aversa |first=Jeannine |title=Trademark Problem: TV-M To Become TV-MA |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19970313/2528555/trademark-problem-tv-m-to-become-tv-ma |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=March 13, 1997}}</ref> This rating is rarely used by broadcast networks or local television stations due to FCC restrictions on program content, although it is commonly applied to television programs featured on certain [[cable channel]]s (basic and premium networks) and streaming networks for both mainstream and [[softcore pornography|softcore]] programs. Programs with this rating may include crude indecent language, explicit sexual activity and graphic violence.<ref name="TVGL" />

=== Content descriptors === [[File:TV-14-DLSV icon.svg|thumb|upright=0.35|An example of a TV rating containing content descriptors to inform viewers of the program's content.]] Some thematic elements, according to the FCC, "may call for parental guidance and/or the program may contain one or more of the following" sub-ratings, designated with an alphabetic letter:<ref name="fcc.gov" /><ref name="TVGL" /> * '''D''' – Suggestive dialogue (not used with the TV-MA rating) * '''L''' – Adult language * '''S''' – Sexual situations * '''V''' – Violence ** '''FV''' – Fantasy violence (exclusive to the TV-Y7 rating)

Up to four content descriptors can be applied alongside an assigned rating, depending on the kind of content featured in a program; the FV descriptor is an exception due to its sole use for the TV-Y7 rating, which can have no descriptor other than FV. As the rating increases pertaining to the age, the content matters generally get more intensive. These descriptors allow for 44 possible combinations for all the ratings total.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://foxkansas.com/entertainment/features/ratings|title=TV Ratings|date=June 10, 2013|publisher=[[KSAS-TV]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721122653/http://www.foxkansas.com/entertainment/features/ratings|archive-date=July 21, 2013|url-status=bot: unknown|access-date=July 24, 2013|quote=In all there are 44 combinations of symbols for the TV Parental Guideline system.}}</ref> The "suggestive dialogue" descriptor is used for TV-PG and TV-14 rated programs only. The violence descriptor was used for TV-Y7 programs from August 1997 until the creation of the 'FV' descriptor later that year.<ref name="Mifflin 1997">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19970625&id=ur4wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v_wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4720,3158097 | title=Impasse Snags Proposed TV Rating System | work=[[The Ledger]] | date=June 25, 1997 | access-date=February 13, 2014 | author=Mifflin, Lawrie | pages=A1, A4 | edition=Lakeland | location=Lakeland, Florida}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- !Rating !![[Innuendo|Suggestive Dialogue]] (D)!![[Profanity|Language]] (L)!![[Human sexuality|Sexual Content]] (S)!![[Violence]] (V)!![[Fantasy Violence]] (FV)!![[E/I]] |-TV-A-10-Y(used |TV-Y||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{y}} |- |TV-Y7||{{n}} (unused) ||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{y}} (exclusive use) ||{{y}} |- |TV-G||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} (unused) ||{{y}} |- |TV-PG||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} |- |TV-14||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{n}} (unused)||{{n}} |- |TV-MA||{{n}} (unused)||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{y}} (used)||{{n}} (unused) ||{{n}} |}

== See also == * [[Television content rating system]] * [[United States pay television content advisory system]] * [[Motion Picture Association film rating system]] * [[Television content rating systems#Canada|Canadian TV rating systems]]

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links == * [http://www.tvguidelines.org/ TV Parental Guidelines] – Official site {{Television content rating systems}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Tv Parental Guidelines}} [[Category:Entertainment rating organizations]] [[Category:Media content ratings systems]] [[Category:Television content ratings systems]] [[Category:Television organizations in the United States]] [[Category:American organizations established in 1997]] [[Category:1997 introductions]] [[Category:1997 in American television]]