FTC: Kids still see violence in marketing

WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- Music, movie and videos industries, despite self-regulation, still market violent content easily viewed by children, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said.

FTC researchers noted in their report that video game retailers made "significant" progress in restricting the sale of M-rated (mature audience) games to minors, but movie and music retailers demonstrated "modest" improvement on sales of adult-oriented products, Variety reported Friday.

"Self-regulation, long a critical underpinning of U.S. advertising, is weakened if (the) industry markets products in ways inconsistent with their ratings and parental advisories," said FTC chair Deborah Platt Majoras.

While the report released Thursday praised improvements, it also indicated the entertainment industry "has more work to do," Majoras said.

It found the movie, music and video industries generally complied with their voluntary standards on showing ratings and labels. However, mature-themed fare is marketed on Web sites that draw a "substantial" number of teens.

The report offered six recommendations, including establishing better target-marketing standards and urging Hollywood to reconsider how it markets and sells unrated DVD versions of R-rated movies.

The FTC said it would continue its monitoring role and voiced continued support for the entertainment industry's self-regulation.