Children’s TV Issues To Be Discussed

Days before a White House meeting on children’s television, broadcasters are negotiating with the government on a deal to increase the quantity and improve the quality of shows aired for America’s kids.

“We are having discussions both at the FCC and the White House, but no conclusions have been reached,” National Association of Broadcasters spokesman Dennis Wharton said Friday.

The NAB, the TV industry’s main trade group, has contested for more than a year efforts by the Federal Communications Commission to adopt a rule requiring TV stations to air at least three hours of educational shows a week. License renewal would be conditioned on accepting the commitment.

President Clinton supports a three-hour requirement and is supposed to press for the industry’s backing Monday at a White House summit with TV executives, children’s TV advocates, program producers and actors.

On a separate but parallel track, negotiations among the FCC’s four commissioners were moving ahead.

Commissioners Rachelle Chong and Jim Quello offered a proposal to let broadcasters count educational specials - as long as they are promoted in TV listings and programs like School House Rock, which are 15 minutes in length, towards a three-hours-a-week goal of “core” educational programming. Such programs weren’t given automatic credit in an earlier FCC staff proposal.

Public service announcements would count only if a broadcaster fell short of three hours of core programming in a week. Nonprogramming activities would be counted only if a station falls short of the goal and if FCC commissioners approve.

Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., author of a 1990 law to improve children’s TV, said he hopes compromise can be reached by Monday.