June Is Ratings Awareness Month

In a joint initiative to redouble efforts to educate employees as well as America’s parents about entertainment ratings and labeling systems, five trade associations representing companies that provide movies, music, and video games to the public announced today that they are declaring June 2004 to be "Entertainment Ratings & Labeling Awareness Month." The announcement was made today by the presidents and executive directors of the trade organizations: Digital Media Association (DiMA), Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA), National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), and Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA).

"For movies, music and video games, ratings and labeling systems exist to provide parents with the tools they need to guide their children’s entertainment decisions," the executives said. "For those systems to be effective, parents and retail employees must be familiar with the ratings and labeling information available to them. June is the perfect time to remind parents and employees of the importance of the systems, as children across the nation look forward to enjoying movies, music, and video games during their summer vacations."

Entertainment Ratings & Labeling Awareness Month will involve motion picture theaters, music stores, online music providers, video stores, video game retailers, and other entertainment retailers in a national education campaign on entertainment ratings. The program, which is based on a program used by VSDA the past three years, will take place throughout the month of June.

During Entertainment Ratings & Labeling Awareness Month, the participating trade organizations will encourage retailers and exhibitors to review their ratings and labeling education programs and policies, re-emphasize those policies to their employees, and educate their customers. The associations will also jointly reach out to opinion leaders and the general public to educate parents about the respective systems and encourage them to utilize those systems.

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