New Game Ratings Campaign Launched

Two Delaware politicians have teamed up with the Entertainment Software Ratings Board to launch a new series of public service announcements encouraging parents to heed videogame ratings.

Delaware Lt. Governor John Carney, State Rep. Helene Keeley and ESRB president Patricia Vance announced the PSAs today. The advertisements will run on billboards, on shopping mall kiosks and in radio spots throughout the holiday season in Delaware.

The billboard and kiosk ads show an image of each politician on a colored background with the quote, "Some video games are for kids. Some aren't." Below the phrase is a list of each ESRB game rating, from EC (Early Childhood) to AO (Adults Only).

"The ESRB ratings are an effective and informative resource that allows parents to decide if the video game their child wants is appropriate, and parents should be sure to check the rating each time they consider a game for their child so they know they're choosing one that's right for their age," added Rep. Keeley. "I'm proud to be participating in the effort to educate parents in our state about the tools at their disposal so they can make informed decisions."

On Tuesday, the National Institute on Media and Family released a report critical of the ESRB's track record and called for a universal U.S. media ratings system. The following day, advertising agency Hill & Knowlton released the results of a survey it conducted as part of a pitch to an industry group - the Entertainment Software Association. The survey indicated that 60 percent of adults believe the government should regulate the sale of mature videogames to minors.

The ESA on Wednesday reiterated its support for the ESRB, called H&K's release of the data "unprofessional and unethical" and questioned the timing of the data dump.

Can you feel the holiday love?

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