Pai Taps O'Rielly to Lead Review of Kidvid

Children’s Television Act -- in many cases more than two decades ago -- still make sense in today’s media marketplace.” Broadcasters support a change, but alterations to the children's TV rules could face strong public opposition (see 1802090051). No language or proposals on kidvid rules have been circulated, but O’Rielly’s aide Brooke Ericson told us Pai’s office had been getting a lot of questions on kidvid since O’Rielly’s recent blog post on the subject. Pai “appears to be supportive of this effort,” she said. O’Rielly would like to see the rules relaxed this year, which would mean a proposal would need to be issued by the summer, Ericson said. O’Rielly has had “good dialogue” with “family group representatives and evangelical organizations,” he said. Ericson, at an FCBA panel Tuesday (see 1802130042), said the commissioner is interested in making the children’s programming rules more flexible, not in doing away with them – particularly since that’s not possible under the statute. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn aide David Grossman said the availability of high-quality children’s programming on multiple platforms doesn’t automatically mean more accessibility because sizable minorities of low-income and Hispanic households get only over-the-air programming.