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to take responsibility for their actions, even to recognize that it's not easy being green.
[Kermit the Frog.]
So this morning, I would like to hear from you about what we can do to broaden the
spectrum of quality educational programming for children. I hope we can focus on 3 specific
issues. First, I'd like to talk about the new research that shows how kids can learn valuable
lessons from TV over the course of their young lifetimes. Second, I'd like to find out more
about what good shows look like. And third, I'd like us to talk about how we can break down
the barriers to the development and production of quality educational programming for
children.
Before we begin, I want to mention one other issue that is of great concern to all of us in
this room and to families across the country. Not only must we create better
programming - we must see to it that it gets on the air. For the past year, I have been
calling on the Federal Communications Commission to require broadcasters to air a
minimum of 3 hours of genuine educational programming a week. 3 hours a week -- 180
minutes a week, about 2.5% of the entire schedule.
Such a requirement would halt a steep and troubling slide. In 1984, the 3 major
networks aired 11 hours a week of children's educational and informational shows. By
1990, they were down to 2 hours a week. [WHAT NOW?]. The airwaves that
broadcasters use belong to us all. In exchange for their use, broadcasters are required to
serve the "public interest." I cannot imagine anything that serves the public interest
better than seeing to it that we give our children at least 3 hours of educational television
a week.
That's why I am so disappointed that the FCC has not moved to make the 3-hour rule
the law of the land. Seeing to it that our children have quality, educational TV is an
urgent need that we dare not carry out in slow motion. I urge the FCC to pass the 3-
hour rule. Then we will prove in living color that the powerful medium of television can
be a tool to build young lives up rather than tear them down.
We have become too used to talking about television as a scourge -- it either fills our
children's heads with bad values or vacuums out their best thoughts. Today, let us work to
reimagine television as a force for good. Let us dare to imagine what children's television
would look like if it resembled what you all probably imagined it could be when you were
children or when you first got started in this business.
In the last week, as families have gathered together to watch the Olympics, we have been
reminded of all the good television can bring into our homes. It can bring us together. It can
inspire and educate us. This must be our standard. Let's get to work.
2
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"ocrText": "to take responsibility for their actions, even to recognize that it's not easy being green.\n[Kermit the Frog.]\nSo this morning, I would like to hear from you about what we can do to broaden the\nspectrum of quality educational programming for children. I hope we can focus on 3 specific\nissues. First, I'd like to talk about the new research that shows how kids can learn valuable\nlessons from TV over the course of their young lifetimes. Second, I'd like to find out more\nabout what good shows look like. And third, I'd like us to talk about how we can break down\nthe barriers to the development and production of quality educational programming for\nchildren.\nBefore we begin, I want to mention one other issue that is of great concern to all of us in\nthis room and to families across the country. Not only must we create better\nprogramming - we must see to it that it gets on the air. For the past year, I have been\ncalling on the Federal Communications Commission to require broadcasters to air a\nminimum of 3 hours of genuine educational programming a week. 3 hours a week -- 180\nminutes a week, about 2.5% of the entire schedule.\nSuch a requirement would halt a steep and troubling slide. In 1984, the 3 major\nnetworks aired 11 hours a week of children's educational and informational shows. By\n1990, they were down to 2 hours a week. [WHAT NOW?]. The airwaves that\nbroadcasters use belong to us all. In exchange for their use, broadcasters are required to\nserve the \"public interest.\" I cannot imagine anything that serves the public interest\nbetter than seeing to it that we give our children at least 3 hours of educational television\na week.\nThat's why I am so disappointed that the FCC has not moved to make the 3-hour rule\nthe law of the land. Seeing to it that our children have quality, educational TV is an\nurgent need that we dare not carry out in slow motion. I urge the FCC to pass the 3-\nhour rule. Then we will prove in living color that the powerful medium of television can\nbe a tool to build young lives up rather than tear them down.\nWe have become too used to talking about television as a scourge -- it either fills our\nchildren's heads with bad values or vacuums out their best thoughts. Today, let us work to\nreimagine television as a force for good. Let us dare to imagine what children's television\nwould look like if it resembled what you all probably imagined it could be when you were\nchildren or when you first got started in this business.\nIn the last week, as families have gathered together to watch the Olympics, we have been\nreminded of all the good television can bring into our homes. It can bring us together. It can\ninspire and educate us. This must be our standard. Let's get to work.\n2"
}