Online TV shows to display content ratings

The major broadcast television stations committed on Monday to expand the content rating system to the online versions of their shows.

The move is meant to help parents decide if the shows are appropriate for their children.

ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, Telefutara and Univision agreed to begin displaying the rating information on their websites by December.

The ratings, which range from TV-Y for "all children" to TV-MA for "mature audiences only," typically appear in a black box in the first few seconds of an episode.

Some sites, such as Hulu, already display the content ratings.

According to a recent survey by the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, which oversees the rating system, about 70 percent of parents use TV ratings to help choose programming. The study also found that 61 percent of children now watch shows on devices other than a television screen.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski applauded the announcement.

“With our rapidly changing media marketplace, it is vital parents have tools to help them make informed choices,” he said in a statement.

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