House OKs Antitrust Exemption for TV to Help Curb Violence

WASHINGTON — The House today voted to give an antitrust exemption to the TV industry so it can try to adopt voluntary guidelines aimed at curbing violent programming.

The 399-18 vote sent the measure to the Senate, which passed a similar bill May 31.

The bill would give television networks, local stations, producers and the cable TV industry a three-year antitrust exemption to work up guidelines for depicting non-news violence on television.

At present, such discussions would violate the Sherman Antitrust Act, which caused the demise of previous industry self-regulation under the Television Code of the National Assn. of Broadcasters.

The Senate version of the bill was approved with an amendment by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) that would also allow the TV industry to discuss ways to curb scenes that glorify drug use and portray sexually explicit material.