The Action Group on Violence on Television (AGVOT) was formed in February 1993, following a conference on television violence and its effects on children, sponsored by the C. M. Hincks Institute in Toronto.
The conference - entitled Reclaiming Childhood: Responsible Solutions to TV Violence and Our Children - brought representatives of the broadcasting industry together with a wide cross-section of parent and teacher organizations, academics, researchers and community groups. This conference is generally regarded as a seminal event in the evolution of Canada's approach to dealing with the issue of violence on television.
AGVOT was created to enable the Canadian broadcasting and cable industries to address the various issues associated with violence on television in a collaborative, industry-wide manner. Its founding members include the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) and the Canadian Cable Television Association (CCTA).
In September 1993, AGVOT adopted its General Statement of Principles concerning violence in television programming. These principles include:
- A prohibition against the depiction of gratuitous violence
- The broadcasters' responsibility for scheduling programs
- Sensitivity to concerns regarding children
- A commitment to give viewers adequate information about the subject matter of programs
Since its inception, AGVOT's efforts have focused on the development of industry codes, a program classification system and V-chip (viewer control) technology, and the exchange of information on anti-violence initiatives. Its goal is to balance the protection of young children with the broadcasters' artistic freedom.
In June 1996, AGVOT released a television program classification system to be used in conjunction with the V-chip.
AGVOT is a volunteer, not-for-profit organization with no permanent staff. Enquiries can be submitted to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council at:
P.O. Box 3265, Station D
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6H8
Tel: (613) 233-4607
Fax: (613) 233-4826
Email: info@cbsc.ca
Web: http://www.cbsc.ca/english/agvot/index.php
