THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary
                             (Warsaw, Poland)
______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                    July 10, 1997

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Two years ago, Vice President Gore and I challenged Congress and the television industry to give parents new tools to control the television children watch. We were pleased with their response. Last year, Congress passed legislation giving American families the V-Chip and the industry developed a voluntary system of ratings for television programs. Today, these tools are being made stronger. The television industry, working with parents, has strengthened its original rating system by agreeing to assign new ratings that will better help families choose appropriate television programming for their children.

When Vice President Gore asked parents to tell us how the original rating system was working -- where it was succeeding, and where it could be improved -- parents told us that age-based ratings are helpful, but that they needed to know more about the specific programming content. The new system gives parents more information about the images and language contained in programs and more power to screen out violence and objectionable content.

I applaud the industry and parent groups who have worked so hard to reach common ground. As with any new system, we should now give this solution -- together with the V-chip -- a chance to work.

-30-30-30-