A Troubling Extension Of Government’s Reach Anti-TV Deal Clinton’s Rule Achieves Little Except Political Advantage

When it comes to escapism, Saturday morning cartoon shows have nothing on presidential election years.

So, there was President Clinton on Monday, streaking out of the sky like a caped superhero to rescue America’s children from certain calamity.

How? Easy (for a superhero, anyway). He ordered four commercial television networks to broadcast at least three hours a week of educational programming for kids.

Voters should love it. They know that too many children watch too much television with too little discernment. At best, it numbs their minds; at worst, it poisons their souls.

But what to do about it besides bite our nails? Not to fear. The swift, decisive action of government will save us.

Right. Tune in next week for another adventure.

Getting back to reality, the networks already air two hours a week of educational programs for children, per federal mandate. In addition, local stations, public television and cable channels (which aren’t covered by Clinton’s mandate even though they are capturing a constantly increasing share of the audience) provide more educational offerings - some of them highly acclaimed.

Giving children who already shun those options even more hours to ignore won’t fix anything.

And that doesn’t even get to the question of how a regulatory and legal structure that never has been able to define the pornographic material it wants to keep off the air will be able to define the educational material it wants to force on the air.

In the meantime, with little to achieve except political advantage, Clinton’s rule is a troubling extension of government into an area that should be off-limits.

The First Amendment forbids government from telling newspapers and other print media what to publish. This restriction protects Americans from an abuse the world’s tinhorn despots often use to stay in power. Unfortunately, federal law does allow the government to strong-arm broadcast media because the airwaves they use belong to the public.

But it’s the public, including children and the parents who take care of them, who established the very viewing patterns Clinton believes his rule should and will alter.

In any case, isn’t it a little far-fetched to think television’s infection of young minds can be cured by prescribing … more television?

, DataTimes MEMO: For opposing view, see “A positive step toward social responsibility”

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