Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 14:44:47 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GAY GROUP COMMENTS ON TV RATINGS SYSTEM MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Alan Klein (212) 807-1700 Pager: (800) 601-5483 Email: klein@glaad.org GAY GROUP COMMENTS ON TV RATINGS SYSTEM - GLAAD EXPRESSES CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ON THE FUTURE OF GAY TELEVISION CONTENT - COULD ELLEN BE RATED "OBJECTIONABLE"? WASHINGTON, DC, DECEMBER 19, 1996-Following an announcement today by an independent entertainment industry committee of the adoption of an aged-based television ratings system, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) expressed cautious optimism that the new system would not distinguish between heterosexual and gay content. According to industry insiders, the age-based ratings system is not designed to discourage creation of lesbian- and gay-themed programming. GLAAD's Early Role: Concern that a content-based ratings system would have resulted in anti-gay and -lesbian bias surfaced earlier this year amid reports that Motion Picture Association of America president Jack Valenti, who heads the television ratings committee, had met privately with members of the conservative Media Research Center, an anti-gay hate group. Based on that information, GLAAD issued a press release in June indicating its deep concern that a biased ratings system would place gay television content in jeopardy. GLAAD called upon Mr. Valenti to not allow the forces of anti-gay bigotry to sway the television ratings process. In a June letter of concern to Valenti, GLAAD asserted that "A biased rating system could be devastating in an industry that is just now beginning to deal in an honest and forthright manner with our community." GLAAD and Valenti: Members of GLAAD's Board of Directors met face-to-face with Mr. Valenti in July to discuss the ratings process. GLAAD's Managing Director, William Waybourn stressed that "gay and lesbian issues are an important part of the national discourse and consciousness, so it is important that television standards, and the committee that decides them, understand and address lesbian and gay concerns fairly." Mr. Waybourn categorized the meeting with Mr. Valenti as extremely productive. "While we remain concerned that any ratings system runs the risk of restricting our right to free speech, GLAAD is pleased that the television ratings system announced today is not designed to crop lesbians and gay images from television's picture of the American landscape," said William Waybourn. "Throughout the next ten months we will monitor the ratings system to prevent it from ever being used as a broad broom that would sweep gay content under the rug and off of our television screens." GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay media watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay multimedia watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.