ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 6, 1996 TAG: 9612060021
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A-11 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
THE GROUP GAVE makers of home video games, floppy disks and CD-ROMs got an A on their report cards for voluntarily using warning labels.
Parents can see content ratings stamped on most video and computer games played at home. But at the mall, their kids feed quarter after quarter into unrated games depicting loads of sex and violence, a survey says.
The National Institute on Media and the Family gave a grade of D to makers of coin-operated pinball machines, video and other arcade games, and the parlors that display them, for their voluntary ratings and enforcement.
On the other hand, makers of home video games - cartridges played on Nintendo, Sega and other game systems - and makers of computer games on floppy disks and CD-ROMs got an A for theirs.
And video rental stores and retailers got A- for stocking games that are rated but C for enforcement of the voluntary system.
Almost all new video and computer games now carry ratings, compared with 80 percent last year, the institute said in the study prepared for Sens. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., and Herb Kohl, D-Wis. They initiated the movement that resulted in the voluntary industry rating system two years ago.
Both lawmakers said they intend to step up pressure on the video arcade industry to rate products better. They left open the prospect of forcing improvement through legislation.
At the arcades, the institute's ``report card'' said, ``On some of the more violent games, a `parental advisory' message may come on the screen intermittently, along with other information on the game. The message may or may not be on the screen when a player approaches the game. It does not appear once money is in the machine.''
The American Amusement Machine Association, an organization of coin-operated arcade-game makers, admitted that most of the 60 games that debut every year are not rated. But executive director Bob Fay said most are suitable for all ages.
Still, Fay said the industry is trying to improve. In October, it sent distributors and manufacturers 10,000 warning labels for sex, violence and language to be put on old and new machines.
The industry developed its own voluntary ratings system, which is different from those used for computer and video games. ``We think everybody is on the wavelength now,'' Fay said.
Even better warnings would make no difference to many teen-agers, say some who are familiar with the industry. ``It doesn't make a difference, because they get the same game at home,'' said Dornel Mercer, a worker at the Outer Limits Arcade in Marlow Heights.
The most popular games played by children in the arcades were violent fighting games, shooting games and race car games, the institute said. It attributed the information to unidentified parlor employees.
The informal survey was based on telephone interviews and spot checks of roughly 90 arcades, rental stores and retailers. The stores were not identified but were in Dallas, New York, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Atlanta, San Francisco and Chicago.
At retail outlets, the report card saw a lack of knowledge among clerks about how the ratings work and what they mean. In some instances, stores placed stickers on packages that covered the ratings label.
More than two-thirds of the rental stores surveyed said they have no policy restricting rentals of ``mature'' games to children, the report card said.
Video and computer game makers began rating their products in 1994, and more than 2,700 titles are rated. One ratings system used by both industries offers five ratings categories, graded from ``suitable for all ages'' to ``adults only. Not intended to be sold or rented to people under 18.''
The nonprofit, Minneapolis-based National Institute on Media and the Family aims to help parents make better television and other media choices for their children. Bob Keeshan - best known as Captain Kangaroo - is a board member.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 linesby CNB