Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

« Man gets 30 days to get out of Somerset | Today | Delta cancels some flights to RI, rest of northeast »

June 28, 2007

Advocacy group complains about 'Transformers'

PROVIDENCE -- A child advocacy group complained today to the Federal Trade Commission that ads and toys tied to the upcoming "Transformers" movie are aimed at children as young as 2 years old even though the film is rated PG-13.

The movie is getting a premiere tonight at Providence Place Cinemas. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

And the Transformers toys are the focus of the "BotCon" convention this weekend at the Rhode Island Convention Center. This is the first time the convention, now in its 11th year, is being held in the state. There will be new toys and the old ones from the early 1980s. Check out the BotCon Web site by clicking here.

The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood called on the commission to work with the toy industry and media companies to develop a uniform rating system so toys tied to PG-13 movies would not be marketed to children younger than 13. It also asked the FTC to investigate the marketing of PG-13 movies to children.

"We are reviewing the letter with great interest," said Jackie Dizdul, a spokeswoman for the FTC.

Hasbro spokesman Wayne Charness said in a written statement that parents can rely on the existing toy coding and movie rating to decide whether they are appropriate for their children.

"We believe that we are already taking the necessary steps in keeping the public informed so they can make decisions within the home, as opposed to further government mandates," Charness said, pointing out that Transformers toys have been around since 1984, long before the movie.

-- The Associated Press

Spokespeople for the Toy Industry Association and Paramount, which produced the movie along with Dreamworks, did not immediately return requests for comment.

"Transformers," due to be released nationwide during the July 4 holiday, was rated PG-13 for violence and other content. Hasbro has released dozens of toys related to the film, some for children as young as 3 years old.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood told the FTC it monitored the Nickelodeon cable channel Monday and recorded "Transformers" movie ads during the shows "Fairly Odd Parents" and "Jimmy Neutron," both rated TV-Y for all children, including those age 2 to 6. It also recorded ads during "Ned's Declassified," which is rated for children 7 and older.

"'Transformers' is a film that the industry itself deems to be too violent for children under the age of 13," said Susan Linn, a psychologist who co-founded the group. "When the toys and the film have ads during shows that children watch, the message that everyone is getting is, 'Well, it must be fine.' Yet the industry is actually saying that it isn't."

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:21 PM | Permalink

June 28, 2007

Advocacy group complains about 'Transformers'

Comments

Post a comment