TV Ratings

=All About The TV Industry Ratings System In The USA & Canada=

This section is presented as a public service to those still wondering about the ratings used for our TV shows, especially in light of the V-Chips now found in newer TV sets, as per federal laws in the USA and Canada.

The USA Ratings System:

Unveiled in 1996 and first implemented in January 1997, the USA ratings system is used to aid parents in deciding what shows should their children watch. Here's a chart explaining the ratings:

Later in 1997, the ratings board revealed more specific ratings to be used in addition to [TV-PG], [TV-14], [TV-Y7] and [TV-MA], to be used to determine the following:

The Canada Ratings System:

English television in Canada uses a similar system, devised by The Action Group on Violence on Television (AGVOT). Canada's ratings are similar to the US's ratings in broadness, grouping and the number of tiers; only the labels are different. These ratings are: