The Federal Trade Commission's Report on the Marketing of Violent Entertainment to Youths: Developing Policy-Tuned Research

On June 1, 1999, President Clinton requested that the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice conduct a study of the marketing of violent entertainment products to youths. The focus of the study was the link between industry marketing practices, especially advertising, and industry self-regulation, as reflected in the industries’ rating and parental advisory systems. The study focused on two key questions: (1) Do the motion picture, music recording, and electronic game industries promote products with parental warnings or age restrictions in venues where children make up a substantial percentage of the audience? and (2) Are these advertisements intended to attract children and teenagers? The author discusses the Federal Trade Commission report and considers the study findings in conjunction with related literature to highlight specific areas for further research in marketing and public policy.