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Senator Takes Aim At TV Violence

A key U.S. senator has charged that media companies with graphic violence in their shows care more about short-term profits than long-term children's health. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) thinks government should get involved, pushing legislation to rein in violent content.

"I fear that graphic violent programming has become so pervasive and has been shown to be so harmful, we are left with no choice but to have the government step in," he says. But some other lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Stevens [R-Alaska] were less enthusiastic. "I think we have to tread a lot softer than you indicate," Stevens says, citing concerns about the First Amendment.

The issue of television violence has come to the fore in the wake of an FCC report urging action. But Peter Liguori, president of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Co., says there is "no causal link" between television violence and violence in young people and without one, "we cannot justify imposing content limits on our media."

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