Ratings for Streaming Content Not Enough: PTC

Recommendations for including age-based content ratings for streaming content from the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board are “a small step” toward addressing “widespread inconsistencies” in program ratings, said the Parents Television Council Tuesday. The industry-run board, which is led by NCTA, NAB and MPAA, “quite simply, needs to do more,” said PTC President Tim Winter. The guidelines recommend including ratings and descriptors for streamed content, displaying the ratings at the start of playback and as the content plays. “Video streaming services should at a minimum strive to replicate the ratings experience available for programming that is shown on television,” the best practices say. The guidelines were released earlier this month, and Winter also faulted the board for inadequately promoting them. Ratings for streaming won’t help unless they're consistently applied and paired with parental controls that are effective, Winter said: “We’ve proven they’re not.” The board didn't comment. PTC has been critical of the ratings board in the past (see 1910150054).