MPAA Rating System

MPAA: Still Effective The movies are a timeless classic, one that has been around since the 1800s. They are now an integral part of American culture, with a lot of influence flowing from them into society. A large portion of the audience that views these works of art are, however, children, and it was not always easy for parents to know or choose what their children were viewing. To help assist with this problem, Jack Valenti founded the Motion Picture System of America, or MPAA, with a new rating system, which today consists of the well-known G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 rating system, giving parents a more in depth look at what their kids are viewing. This rating system remains effective through the parents that use the system, it continues

The MPAA’s ratings continue to be effective because while the parents mainly use this system, they also run it. The MPAA conducted a study that was completed in 2012 that found that eighty percent of parents found the ratings either fairly or very useful, and eighty-four percent found the rating descriptors fairly to very useful. The MPAA ratings are created mainly for parents to help them determine what their kids are viewing, and if the parents find it useful then that is something that can be used. These ratings also demonstrate that the system is effective in accurately demonstrating movie contents, which shows that the system is working. Furthermore, the same study showed that these reports of awareness are consistent with that of the 1980s, which is when the study was first conducted, showing that “98% of adults with children in the household have heard of the motion picture industry rating system…” One of the most important parts in creating an effective system is ensuring that people know about it well, and the MPAA has done that according to recent, and older, studies. Almost every parent that completed the survey has heard of the MPAA and can use the system to make informed decisions about what their children should or shouldn’t see. In addition, Joan Graves, the Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA) at the MPAA and parent stated in an interview that “…the rating is provided by a board of parents…” The MPAA is run by parents, for parents, which in itself creates an effective system for creating ratings for parents. The organization is run by parents in almost every aspect. The films are rated by parents, the leaders of the organization are parents, the appeals system, which is used for filmmakers who disagree with ratings, is composed of parents. This gives the system the ability to continue to remain effective