TV & VIDEO - May 23, 1988

After months of drafting and redrafting, a measure requiring television stations to limit advertising during children’s programs has been approved by the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on telecommunications. The measure, approved 22-2 by the subcommittee, is a bipartisan compromise stripped of earlier proposals to prohibit programs built around toy manufacturers’ products. The bill passed by the House subcommittee would limit TV stations to no more than 10 1/2 minutes of commercials per hour during children’s shows on weekends and 12 minutes per hour during these programs on weekdays. The measure also ties compliance with limits with station license renewal. The full committee is scheduled to consider the measure this week.