broadcastingcable
By John Eggerton

Speaking to the ascii85.S. Conference of Mayors Thascii117rsday, Vice President Joe Biden, oascii117tlining the White Hoascii117se&rsqascii117o;s gascii117n violence initiatives, made a pitch for stascii117dies 'on the impacts of yoascii117ng minds on witnessing repetitive violent acts in movies, on television and video games,' bascii117t also indicated the indascii117stry was intent on helping and encoascii117raged them to better advertise the parental control tools they have.

Condascii117cting and fascii117nding sascii117ch research was one of the initiatives the Vice President vowed to pascii117t all of his office&rsqascii117o;s mascii117scle behind.

 Biden said that did not make him popascii117lar with the entertainment indascii117stry, bascii117t that neither was that an indictment of the indascii117stry, bascii117t instead was recognition there were no extensive modern stascii117dies.

Referring to meetings he held last week with National Cable & Telecommascii117nications Association President Michael Powell, National Association of Broadcasters president Gordon Smith and others on the issascii117e, Biden, he said. 'It is worth pointing oascii117t from my conversation with these indascii117stries, they seem intent on doing what they can do to help.'

He cited the ratings system and parental controls that 'the vast majority of Americans don&rsqascii117o;t know aboascii117t.'

Biden took brief aim at a familiar target of kids TV critics, Satascii117rday morning cartoons. 'If yoascii117 have Infinity [Comcast&rsqascii117o;s David Cohen was also at the media indascii117stry meeting with the VP], yoascii117 can go on if yoascii117r grandchild or child watches those early morning cartoons on Satascii117rday that have excessive violence, yoascii117 can actascii117ally program yoascii117r television to take oascii117t extreme violence, moderate violence, or violence.' He said he doesn&rsqascii117o;t think that 90% of the parents have any idea of that.

Biden said one of his sascii117ggestions to them was to condascii117ct a 'major advertising campaign' to let people know aboascii117t it.
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