Static In Idaho Over New TV Ratings System

The managers of three local stations in Idaho’s largest television market find themselves at odds with their network brass over the new rating system for program content.

The general manager of the local NBC-affiliate, KTVB in Boise, embraces the new system that his network has refused to adopt. In fact, Doug Armstrong said his station will use it on locally-produced programs.

“Any information we can provide to parents is beneficial,” Armstrong said. “I support better information.”

But the heads of the local Fox and CBS affiliates are questioning the new ratings their networks agreed to begin using in October.

They intend to comply and agree parents need as much information as possible in determining appropriate programming for their children.

But Diane Frisch, general manager at Fox affiliate KTRV in Nampa, would rather trust parents than the government to monitor what children are watching.

“There’s also the problem with once something is labeled ‘Don’t go there,’ it might make kids want to go there more,” Frisch said.

And Jeff Anderson of CBS affiliate KBCI in Boise said parents should take the responsibility for determining what their children see.

“My concern is that there’s talk in Washington about mandated censorship,” Anderson said. “Who decides what rating a show will get? If it’s the government, I would be adamantly against that.”