Creative Coalition Urges President Bush to Oppose Lieberman/Clinton/Kohl/Byrd Media Marketing Accountability Act

Creative Coalition Urges President Bush to Oppose Lieberman/Clinton/Kohl/Byrd Media Marketing Accountability Act

Entertainers Say First Amendment Protection Threatened

New York (June 27, 2001) – The Creative Coalition today called on President George Bush to oppose the Media Marketing Accountability Act of 2001 (S.790; H.R. 2246) sponsored by Sens. Lieberman, Kohl, Byrd and Clinton, and Reps. Israel and Osborne. The bill grants the government, for the first time, the power to monitor and police the marketing of creative material. In addition, the legislation would grant the government the power to punish those producers who do not comply.

“We believe that entertainers, parents and lawmakers should work in concert to curb the marketing of entertainment to our country’s young people,” William Baldwin, president of The Creative Coalition said. “However, the approach that Sens. Lieberman and Clinton have taken is the wrong one and sets a dangerous precedent.”

Despite the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) report which said that the marketing practices of the entertainment industry had improved, and the FTC’s recommendation that vigilant self-regulation is the best approach, Sen. Lieberman and his colleagues introduced the sweeping Media Marketing Accountability Act which the industry sees as a threat to First Amendment protection.

On June 18, The Creative Coalition sent a letter to Sens. Lieberman, Kohl, Byrd and Clinton signed by over 50 arts and entertainment professionals and supporters from across the country.

Over the last 10 months, the entertainment industry has taken proactive and strong steps to stop the marketing of violence to children and ensure accountability within the industry. Those steps include a set of 12-point initiatives adopted by the Motion Picture Association of America.

Those initiatives include:

• Requiring member theater owners not show movie trailers rated R for violence before G-rated films;
• Not knowingly include persons under the age of 17 in focus groups;
• Appoint senior executives to regularly review marketing practices; and
• Seek ways to include the rationale behind a particular rating in print advertising and web sites for the films in order to better inform parents.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE COALITION
The Creative Coalition is the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment community. Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating its members on issues of public importance, primarily the First Amendment, arts advocacy, campaign finance reform and public education. Headquartered in New York City, The Creative Coalition also has offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Creative Coalition does not endorse or raise funds for political parties or candidates.