WASHINGTON D.C. - Inspired by the Federal Communications Commission’s recent report, "Violent Television Programming and Its Impact on Children", The Progress & Freedom Foundation will assemble a group of regulators, First Amendment advocates and behavioral analysts to discuss the results at the seminar, "The Complexities of Regulating TV Violence." The panelists will debate whether government regulation is necessary, if it is constitutional, how "excessively violent" content might be defined, and whether parents have the tools and ability to regulate programming in their homes.

The discussion will be moderated by PFF Senior Fellow Adam Thierer, Director of PFF's Center for Digital Media Freedom. Also discussing the complexities of this issue is Robert Corn-Revere, Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, a well-known expert on First Amendment and FCC regulatory matters. He has served as counsel in litigation and regulatory proceedings involving the Communications Decency Act and broadcasting and cable television regulatory matters. Also speaking is Jonathan L. Freedman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, a specialist in social psychology and social influence theories. Freedman is the author of "Media Violence and its Effect on Aggression." Henry Geller, Former General Counsel at the Federal Communications Commission, will bring his regulatory expertise to the discussion. While at the FCC, Geller was responsible for many of the public interest regulations that govern the broadcast and cable industries.

Thierer has written extensively on the issues of child safety, parental controls and media regulation. Next month, Thierer will release a new PFF special report, "Parental Control & Online Child Protection: A Survey of Tools and Methods," a comprehensive guide to parental controls tools and methods for the wide variety of entertainment media available today.

The Congressional Seminar, "The Complexities of Regulating TV Violence," will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, May 18th in Room B354 of the Rayburn House Office Building. A buffet lunch will be served. Those wishing to attend can Register Online. General questions can be addressed to Brooke Glass at 202-289-8928 or bglass@pff.org. Media inquiries can be addressed to Amy Smorodin at 202-289-8928 or asmorodin@pff.org.

The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It is a 501(c)(3) research & educational organization.