From:      <SLedit@aol.com>
To:        A16.A16(kidstv)
Date:      8/7/95 5:04pm
Subject:   Children's television

Dear Sirs:

Today I heard part of a speech on NPR from the National Press
Club concerning children's television programming. Though I did
not hear the entire speech, I wanted to let you know that I feel
strongly that commercial television has let down our nation's
children.

As a parent, I try to police what my children are watching, but
that's not always possible. We generally have our television set
tuned to public television, and I have found that Big Bird and
the rest of the Sesame Street crowd, as well as Shining Time
Station, Reading Rainbow and other programs serve to enlighten,
entertain and educate my son, who is 4 years old.

Commercial television, on the other hand, tends to lead him to
hit and be mean in other ways; he emulates the Power Rangers,
particularly, and other violent programs. 

I know that parents are responsible for how their children
behave, and for what they watch on television. I am certainly not
an advocate of censorship,
I feel that our commercial television stations can do a better
job with the programs they air. I particularly remember the
Schoolhouse Rock segments that aired in the 1970s. They were good
programming, they were educational, and I still can remember a
good many of them. And they didn't make me want to hit my sister,
either!

I don't have any solutions for the problems you are facing, but I
wanted you to know that I feel there is too much filth and
violence on the air, especially during the times when children
are watching. Let's let the networks know that this is not
acceptable!

Thank you,

Stephen Lomax
SLedit@aol.com