NEWS                                                   June 9, 1995

COMMISSIONER RACHELLE B. CHONG USES ELECTRONIC FOR UM FOR
DISCUSSION OF CHILDREN'S TELEVISION; ANNOUNCES E-MAILBOX FOR VIEWS
ON TOPIC
       

     "Parents should be involved in helping choose programs for their kids to watch,"
Commissioner Chong stated Tuesday night in a "chat" on America Online about children's
educational and informational television programming. She told parents and children who had
logged-on to the chat from across the country that the FCC's current children's television
proposals "[explore] ways to increase the amount of information to parents about when kids'
educational TV shows will be shown." 
 
     Commissioner Chong also announced a new e-mail address -- "93-48@fcc.gov" -- for
anyone who wants to express their views on children's television to the FCC electronically. 

     Noting the positive impact of educational programming on school performance,
Commissioner Chong emphasized that such shows should be available to all children over
free over-the-air television and asked for public opinion about the current state of children's
TV.
     
     The on-line "chat" is part Commissioner Chong's  ongoing effort to hear what
Americans think about the children's television programming currently available and what
might be done to improve it. She has visited a number of classrooms to hear students'
opinions, and most recently met with children, parents, educators, and PTA members in her
hometown of Stockton, CA.

     On April 5, 1995, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (MM
Docket No. 93-48) that proposes changes to the Commission's children's television
programming regulations. The proposals are designed to facilitate licensee compliance with
the Children's Television Act of 1990 and to implement the Act more effectively. The
comment period for the NPRM was recently extended to September 14, 1995.

                                -- FCC --