Published by CQ Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc. www.cqresearcher.com media violence Do children have too much access to violent content? ecent accounts of mass school shootings and other violence have intensified the debate about whether pervasive violence in movies, television and video R games negatively influences young people’s behavior. Over the past century, the question has led the entertain ment media to voluntarily create viewing guidelines and launch public awareness campaigns to help parents and other consumers make appropriate choices. But lawmakers’ attempts to restrict or ban con - tent have been unsuccessful because courts repeatedly have upheld The ultraviolent video game “Grand Theft Auto V” the industry’s right to free speech. In the wake of a 2011 Supreme grossed more than $1 billion in its first three days on the market. Young players know it’s fantasy, Court ruling that said a direct causal link between media violence some experts say, but others warn the game can negatively influence youths’ behavior. — particularly video games — and real violence has not been proved, the Obama administration has called for more research into the question. media and video game executives say the cause of mas shootings is multifaceted and c annot be blamed on the enter - I tainment industry, but many researchers and lawmakers say the THIS REPORT N industry should shoulder some responsibility. THE ISSUES ....................147 S BACKGROUND ................153 I CHRONOLOGY ................155 D CURRENT SITUATION ........158 E CQ Researcher • Feb. 14, 2014 • www.cqresearcher.com AT ISSUE ........................161 Volume 24, Number 7 • Pages 145-168 OUTLOOK ......................162 RECIPIENT Of SOCIETY Of PROfESSIONAL JOURNALISTS AwARD fOR BIBLIOGRAPHY ................166 EXCELLENCE N AmERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION SILvER GAvEL AwARD THE NEXT STEP ..............167 mEDIA vIOLENCE Feb. 14, 2014 THE ISSUES SIDEBARS AND GRAPHICS Volume 24, Number 7 • Does media violence TV Rating System Called MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas J. Billitteri 147 cause aggressive behavior? 148 Inconsistent [email protected] • Are there benefits from Some broadcast shows are ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR: Kathy Koch , media violence? more violent than cable [email protected] offerings. • Should the government SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: regulate violence in media? Thomas J. Colin Youths’ Weekly Media Use [email protected] 149 Soars CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Brian Beary, BACKGROUND Seventy-five hours a week is marcia Clemmitt, Sarah Glazer, Kenneth Jost, the norm for viewing content Peter Katel , Reed Karaim, Barbara mantel, Early Media on television, game consoles Tom Price, Jennifer weeks 153 Concerns have been raised and other devices. for centuries about violence SENIOR PROJECT EDITOR: Olu B. Davis in entertainment. Violent Video Games Are FACT CHECKERS: michelle Harris, 152 Among Top Sellers Nancie majkowski Half of top 10 were rated for Media Debate Expands INTERN: Kaya Yurieff 154 Rising violence raised ques - mature audiences only. tions about a link between crime and violent media Chronology content. 155 Key events since 1915. Increasing Pressures Teaching Kids to Be 156 School shootings and gangsta 156 Media Savvy An Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc. rap intensified questions Special curricula teach how VICE PRESIDENT AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, about the impact of media media influence attitudes to - HIGHER EDUCATION GROUP: violence. ward violence and aggressive michele Sordi behavior. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ONLINE LIBRARY AND REFERENCE PUBLISHING: CURRENT SITUATION Entertainment Firms Todd Baldwin 158 Spend Big on Lobbying Federal Efforts Legislation to curb media 158 Legislation seeks to thwart violence has stalled. Copyright © 2014 CQ Press, an Imprint of SAGE Pub - school shootings and other lications, Inc. SAGE reserves all copyright and other violence. At Issue: rights herein, unless pre vi ous ly spec i fied in writing. 161 Should the entertainment No part of this publication may be reproduced State Efforts industry be required to help electronically or otherwise, without prior written 160 Court rulings have prompted reduce children’s access to permission. Un au tho rized re pro duc tion or trans mis - several states to address media violence? sion of SAGE copy right ed material is a violation of media violence. federal law car ry ing civil fines of up to $100,000. CQ Press is a registered trademark of Congressional Latest Research FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Quarterly Inc. 160 Studies include brain neuro- imaging while viewers watch For More Information CQ Researcher (ISSN 1056-2036) is printed on acid- violent images. 165 Organizations to contact. free paper. Pub lished weekly, except: (march wk. 4) (may wk. 4) (July wk. 1) (Aug. wks. 3, 4) (Nov. wk. Bibliography 4) and (Dec. wks. 3, 4). Published by SAGE Publica - OUTLOOK 166 Selected sources used. tions, Inc., 2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Annual full-service subscriptions start at $1,054. for Debate Rages On The Next Step pricing, call 1-800-818-7243. To purchase a CQ Re - 162 Courts and researchers call 167 Additional articles . searcher report in print or electronic format (PDf), for more study, including visit www.cqpress.com or call 866-427-7737. Single brain imaging. Citing CQ Researcher reports start at $15. Bulk purchase discounts and 167 Sample bibliography formats. electronic-rights licensing are also available. Periodicals postage paid at Thousand Oaks, California, and at additional mailing offices . POST mAST ER: Send ad dress chang es to CQ Re search er , 2300 N St., N.w., Suite 800, Cover: Getty Images/Mario Tama wash ing ton, DC 20037. 146 CQ Researcher media violence BY CHRISTINA L. LYONS lawmakers, parents, researchers THE ISSUES and educators to question whether such content con - eenage girls flooded tributes to aggressive behavior movie theaters last among youths and whether T fall to watch the PG- the entertainment industry’s 13-rated “Hunger Games: self-regulation is sufficient to Catching fire,” the second in protect young consumers from a series based on a tale of the effects of media violence. kids killing kids. moreover, as shown by re - “It’s a heady and disturb - views of “Hunger Games,” ing concept,” one reviewer many observers have differing said of the theme. “As exe - opinions on the acceptable cuted here, it’s often a bloody level of violence in young and gruesome one, as well.” viewers’ entertainment. But another movie critic Researchers disagree on wrote: “Keenly aware of his whether media violence can adolescent audience, the di - lead young people to mimic rector always manages to look e violent behavior, a lack of r o away before the violence be - o consensus that industry offi - M comes too icky.” The critic n cials have cited in defending h commended screenwriters o their entertainment products. J / for toning down the graphic s “There’s no medical or sci - e g violence of Suzanne Collins’ a entific research showing that m I series, which two years be - y video games cause people to t t fore had appeared on the e be violent in real life — even G American Library Association’s Nelba Márquez-Greene and Jimmy Greene embrace on our most ardent critics agree list of the 10 most “challenged” the one-month anniversary of the death of their 6-year- with that,” Dan Hewitt, vice books — those that parents old daughter, Ana Grace, who was among 20 children president of media relations or others most frequently and six teachers killed by Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook and event management for sought to have pulled from Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, the Entertainment Software 1 2012. Because Lanza, 20, and other high-profile library shelves . school shooters reportedly have been fans of Association (ESA), which A month earlier, Syracuse violent video games, such incidents have reignited a represents video game pro - University administrators came perennial debate about whether violence in the media ducers, said in an e-mail. under fire for inviting florida can cause aggressive behavior. But some researchers con - rapper Ace Hood to perform tend that studies have long during the school’s annual Orange down police officers and drive over shown that exposure to media vio - madness event launching the basket - civilians. Using their mobile devices, lence at least correlates with aggres - ball season. Local parents who typi - enthusiasts can play from anywhere sive behavior. “Right now, the research cally take their children to the com - — “at the bar, on the beach, on the is so overwhelmingly consistent that munity celebration were hesitant toilet,” one ad said. “This is the future, there are negative effects on the ten - because Hood’s lyrics include such we’re almost sure of it.” 3 dency to behave violently — [causing] lines as, “Know I keep that .45, turn Rapid technological advances allow desensitization and lowering of em - you into Cabbage Patch/Hit you right today’s consumers, including children, pathy — [that] it’s a shame we are still between the eyes and leave you like to easily access — anywhere, anytime fighting this battle,” says Joanne Can - an alley rat.” 2 — media content that some critics say tor, a professor emeritus of commu - In November, gamers rushed to buy depicts unprecedented levels of blood nications and outreach director for the “Grand Theft Auto v,” the latest edi - and gore and moral depravity. mass Center for Communication Research at tion of a popular video game about shootings such as the 2012 Sandy Hook the University of wisconsin-madison. three violent criminals who commit Elementary School massacre in New - Concerns about media violence are burglaries and corporate crimes, gun to wn, Conn., repeatedly have prompted hardly new. In the 1930s children www.cqresearcher.com Feb. 14, 2014 147 mEDIA vIOLENCE study found that NBC’s broadcast TV Rating System Called Inconsistent show “Revolution,” which is rated Tv- Television broadcast programs have long been considered less violent 14 (appropriate for viewers 14 and than cable shows.