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CNN Live At Daybreak

Senator Joseph Lieberman Advocates Media Regulation

Aired July 25, 2001 - 08:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to continue our focus on pop culture. Is it becoming too toxic? Just a few moments ago, we had a debate on the issue.

Now were are joined by Senator Joseph Lieberman. He is a Democratic senator. He has been outspoken on this issue. HE was one of the architects of that V-chip legislation that helped get those V- chips inside new television sets. There's actually a Senate committee hearing later this morning that he's a big part of, looking at how well entertainment ratings are working.

Senator Lieberman, good morning.

SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: Good morning, Colleen. Good to be with you.

MCEDWARDS: Thanks. Good to have you here.

Earlier on this program, we showed part of a PG-13 movie that had references to oral sex in it. It was part of our debate on this issue. What good are these ratings if parents can't count on them?

LIEBERMAN: Well, parents do count on them. And obviously, their effectiveness is diminished if the rating are, essentially, inaccurate -- in other words, if what they're attached to does not fit the rating, and that's what a very distinguished group of child development experts, along with the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, concluded in a letter that they distributed about a month ago, which was that parents depend on the ratings; they want their help. They feel there's too much sex and violence in the entertainment culture, but that too often the ratings are inaccurate. And parents would like to see a uniform rating system, one that applies to all the entertainment industry across the board. That's going to be the subject of our hearing this morning.

MCEDWARDS: But Senator Lieberman, can you clarify your position on it now? Do you feel that the movie and television industry can be trusted to self-regulate?

LIEBERMAN: Well, I think we have to trust them. This has been a battle that started for me eight years ago as I become really concerned about the television that my then five-year-old daughter was watching. Of course, I found that that's a concern that was shared by millions of parents. We believe in the First Amendment. Don't want government to regulate content of the entertainment media. But if the entertainment industry doesn't regulate itself, I fear that the public will demand regulation, because they feel as if our children and our country are being made more violent and more immoral by what's being seen.

MCEDWARDS: Yet, Senator, you know what a political hot potato this issue is. Some people would say your own position changed depending on whether or not you were running on presidential ticket or not. You know how difficult it is to talk about this in public. Some people might say that the only reason you're prepared to talk about it now is that you are not on a ticket?

LIEBERMAN: Well, I know some people may say that, but my position has been very consistent throughout. I think that the entertainment culture adversely affects too many of our children. We have to call on the industry to self-regulate. That's really the answer.

MCEDWARDS: Given the amount of money, for example, that the Democratic party gets from Hollywood, how much pressure is there on you on this issue?

LIEBERMAN: There is some pressure. But I've decided that what's in the movies, on television, in video games, and on records has such an adverse effect on so many of our children that some of us have to speak out. And I will continue to do that, regardless of what the consequences politically may be. And there are other colleagues in both parties here in Congress who will continue to do the same.

The people back home in Connecticut and people I met across the country last year said to me the big entertainment companies won't listen to us; maybe they will listen to you. That's why I'm going to continue to try to push them to give us better entertainment. The culture affects all of us in our country. And there's a lot of great stuff coming out of the entertainment culture. But there's too much trash, too much violence and ultra-sexual activity, without any sense of the consequences, and that's bound to have an effect.

MCEDWARDS: Senator Lieberman, thank you for your thoughts this morning we appreciate it.

LIEBERMAN: Thank you, Colleen -- I appreciate your interest.

MCEDWARDS: Thank you.

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