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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2005

 

PTC Illinois Chapter Calls on State Legislature to Restrict Sale of Graphic Video Games to Minors

Legislation sponsored by State Rep. LaVia and State Sen. Demuzio aims to keep minors from getting "mature" rated video games.

LOS ANGELES, CA - The Central Illinois chapter of the Parents Television Council, the nation's most influential advocacy organization protecting children against sex, violence and profanity in the media, called upon the state legislature to pass a bill introduced by Governor Blagojevich and sponsored by State Representative Linda Chapa La Via and State Senator Deanna Demuzio. The bill would restrict the sale and rental of violent and sexually explicit video games to adults 18 years or older.

"The evidence is conclusive: Countless independent studies confirm that repeated exposure to graphically sexual, violent and profanity-laced video games has a harmful and long term affect on children," Dayton Loyd, Central Illinois chapter director of the Parents Television Council said today.

"If these games are marketed to and manufactured for adults as the industry insists, then their sale to minors should be restricted. Such a simple, commonsense solution protects our children without interfering with the rights of adults. We place similar restrictions on the sale of tobacco and alcohol, and even movie tickets. This measure puts the gaming industry on notice that there will be consequences for attempting to poison our children for the sake of their own financial gain! We're going to do all we can to ensure that this responsible bill gets passed. We owe it to our children and future generations of children."

Loyd said he and his chapter members would launch a letter-writing campaign in support of the bill's passage, increase community awareness about this important legislation and continue to put pressure on local retail merchants by conducting 'secret shopper' campaigns to ensure no M-rated video games are sold to minors.

The Parents Television Council™ (www.parentstv.org®) is a non-partisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment. It was founded in 1995 to ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media. This national grassroots organization has over one million members across the United States, and works with television producers, broadcasters, networks and sponsors in an effort to stem the flow of harmful and negative messages targeted to children. The PTC also works with elected and appointed government officials to enforce broadcast decency standards. Most importantly, the PTC produces critical research and publications documenting the dramatic increase in sex, violence and profanity in entertainment. This information is provided free of charge so parents can make informed viewing choices for their own families.

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