
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 10, 1990                   TAG: 9005100232
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

STANDARD EXPLICIT-LYRICS LABELS DEBUT

The recording industry on Wednesday unveiled a uniform warning label for albums with explicit lyrics and expressed hope that an improved voluntary system will halt campaigns in some states for mandatory labeling.

The black-and-white stickers - reading "PARENTAL ADVISORY - EXPLICIT LYRICS" - will appear on the lower right-hand corner of the front of albums that might be objectionable because of lyrics dealing with sex, violence, suicide, drug abuse, bigotry or satanic worship.

The decision of whether to affix the labels will be left up to the record companies and their individual artists, said Jay Berman, president of the Recording Industry Association of America, whose members produce more than 90 percent of the records sold in the United States.

Berman said the warning labels will begin appearing on the outer packaging, under the cellophane wrap, of potentially offensive records, cassettes and compact discs reaching retail music stores in July.

The label size will range from 1 1/2 inches by 1 inch for albums and CD long boxes to 1 inch by a half-inch for cassettes and CD cases.

"We believe the uniform logo will enhance the existing voluntary system and better respond to the legitimate concerns of parents," Berman said. "Now that we have agreed on this new logo, it will be up to parents to use it as they see fit."

Youngsters aged 10 through 19 accounted for nearly one-third of the $6.5 billion in total sales of recordings in 1988, according to industry figures.

Under a 1985 agreement between the record industry and the Parents' Music Resource Center and the National PTA, which have led the fight against explicit lyrics, individual record companies were free to devise their own warning stickers or print lyrics on albums.

But erratic compliance and the lack of a standard label led to parental complaints, and bills were introduced in several states to require warning labels on albums containing explicit lyrics. The complaints have generally been about rap music and heavy metal records.

By Berman's count, 16 of the 21 state legislatures considering such bills have backed down since the industry announced plans in late March for a standard voluntary warning label.

Berman's trade association is still fighting mandatory labeling proposals in Missouri, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and Louisiana.

by CNB