| Sex, drugs, violence, nudity, and "coarse" language; it's | | | | restrict what programs can be viewed based on |
| all over television. It pulls in viewers, it's exciting, and | | | | password protected locks. Viewing can be restricted |
| sometimes realistic. However, these behaviors often | | | | by channel or by ratings. |
| are not what parents want their children to see or | | | | Like most parental control systems, Dish Network's |
| emulate. | | | | software operates in conjunction with V-Chip |
| The question of the effect on children appears to | | | | technology. Users simply program the system to |
| have been answered by a multitude of studies over | | | | restrict access to certain programming or, through their |
| the past 30 years or more. A quick search online will | | | | "Adult Guard" software, to completely remove Adult |
| reveal items such as a 15 year longitudinal study | | | | Channels from the Electronic Program Guide so that |
| reported by the American Psychological Association | | | | children can neither view the restricted programming |
| that indicates children's viewing of violent TV shows is | | | | nor access programming information through the guide. |
| linked to aggression in young adulthood for both sexes | | | | Once Dish Network's no-cost "Adult Guard" is |
| irregardless of intellectual abilities, social status, or | | | | programmed the locks will remain even when there is |
| parenting style.* | | | | a power outage. |
| An online search might also find the report on the | | | | Although Dish Network and other providers offer |
| American Academy of Child & Adolescent | | | | parental controls parents should be aware that other |
| Psychiatry site which indicates that "TV can be a | | | | steps may be necessary to reduce exposure to |
| powerful influence in developing value systems and | | | | media that may have negative effects on young |
| shaping behavior".** Media violence is said to effect | | | | children. Experts caution that parents might need to be |
| children of various ages differently, but reportedly has | | | | alert to the violence that is present in everything from |
| the greatest effect on children who view violence | | | | cartoons, to music videos, and even many of the video |
| which is not seen as evil or does not result in | | | | games that are on the market. |
| punishment, disapproval, or human suffering as | | | | Monitoring the media that children view is an important |
| explained in a report available on the Media | | | | step in controlling their exposure. Professionals also |
| Awareness Network site.*** | | | | seem to agree that watching with very young children |
| Parents have a number of options in trying to eliminate | | | | and being able to discuss what they see can also help |
| or reduce their children's exposure to programming | | | | them to better understand when violence or other |
| that they feel is inappropriate. Obviously, most services | | | | behavior is not acceptable and what the |
| offer programming that is appropriate for young | | | | consequences might really be. Although it is very clear |
| children with shows such as Discovery Kids, the | | | | that parents should take an active role in managing the |
| various Disney Channels, Nickelodeon, Nick Toons, | | | | media available to their young children and in helping |
| BabyFirst TV, and so forth. However, as most adults | | | | them to interpret what they see, satellite and cable |
| will want programming beyond the child focused | | | | television providers will need to continue to offer |
| offerings, satellite television and cable providers have | | | | state-of-the-art controls to assist parents when they |
| offered parental controls for a number of years. Dish | | | | simply cannot monitor every moment of their child's |
| Network satellite receivers for instance all offer | | | | day. |
| parental controls/system locks that allow users to | | | | |