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Barring all of that, are you saying do nothing?
Mr. DENVER. No, sir, I am not saying do nothing. And that is exactly
why I am here and why I applaud this hearing and applaud
what these ladies, what the PMRC has presented to us.
Senator HOLLINGS. Well, I think we have got to be sensible about it.
But like you
Then, to not have some inhibition, some kind of discipline, as you
describe it, within the broadcast media, we flunk the course, because
there are 6 hours of that thing steaming and beaming into the home.
Mr. DENVER. Well, you know,
Senator HOLLINGS. No, sir.
Mr. DENVER. When I was raised, television was just coming out and, golly,
it was an attractive medium. And I could sit there in front of that TV
set and watch it all day. My parents set some restrictions on how much time
I could watch television during the week, especially when I was going to
school, and I could choose the programs that I wanted to watch.
And I think this is kind of an influence that we can exercise as parents
on our children. Just because it is on 7 hours does not mean our kids are
going to sit there and watch it that whole time, and we can give them a
certain amount of time.
And over here, for me one of the things that I am fortunate with is
my children and I live in a beautiful country and we have a lot of
activities which really call us outdoors, call us together and away
from the boob tube. I do not watch very much television.
And I think we can exercise this kind of influence on our children
in a city environment.
Senator HOLLINGS. You and I are
But the record is otherwise. They are watching television as much
as the instructions [sic?] in the classrooms of the public schools
and more. All surveys show that, so it is being watched. That is the fact,
and living in the real world, where you and I would like to restrict our
children and my grandchildren now, it is a real problem. It is a real problem.
And I guess you know from being a master at the art that, where
you start off selling that record is to get it accepted at some good
programming, some good broadcasting, and then the sales follow.
You cannot print those words ahead of time so I will know to cut
the television off quick.
Whatever it is, unless that discipline develops, in other words,
with the broadcast media, we are going to be forced somewhere with
regulations, through the FCC or otherwise. I do not think the
American public is going to go along just with a nice hearing up in
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