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determine for himself or herself whether an "R" recording would be
appropriate for personal use. We believe that the music industry
should determine the best means for providing lyrics to consumers.
In conclusion, I would like to make it clear to this committee
that the National PTA would in no way encourage nor support
censorship of the music industry.
Second, we are asking that the use of a warning labeling system
be a voluntary one undertaken by the music industry as part of its
responsibility to consumers.
And, finally, the National PTA believes it is the responsibility of
parents to control the types of musical materials their children
listen to in their homes. Without a warning system, parents have no
way to know what they are buying for their children or what their
children are buying, unless then [sic] listen to every single
recording.
We hope to continue our dialog with the industry as a whole, and
individual record companies, until an agreement is reached that
will satisfy all parties involved.
I thank this committee for the opportunity to testify.
The CHAIRMAN. You do not believe that under the present state of
affairs sufficient information is available to parents to allow
them to participate in the decision as to what is in their homes?
Mrs. WATERMAN. No, sir, there is nothing that as you buy a record
or tape or cassette in most records that allows you to know what
is in that, and we believe that there should be a label so that
they know what they purchase.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you think it is realistic to expect parents to actually
sit down and play the rock music that is going into the home?
Mrs. WATERMAN. Do I believe they should play every record?
The CHAIRMAN. Do you think it is realistic to expect that they will?
Mrs. WATERMAN. I think that when they themselves buy it, if they know
what it is --
The CHAIRMAN. If a child brings a record into the home, do you think
that as a practical matter the parents are going to be sitting down
and listening to the record?
Mrs. WATERMAN. I think that parents want to be good parents. Right now
they are blindfolded, Mr. Chairman, by when they purchase a record or
a tape or a cassette they do not know what is in it, and I say take the
blindfold off of those parents and let them know what they buy, and then
it is their responsibility of what they play in that home.
The CHAIRMAN. Senator Hollings.
Senator HOLLINGS. I thank Ms. Waterman, Mr. Chairman, and yield my time.
The CHAIRMAN. Senator Gore.
Senator GORE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to note for the record that the National PTA was the first
organization to make this issue a major concern. In October of 1984 you
passed a resolution at your national convention requesting assistance
from the record industry. Is that correct?
Mrs. WATERMAN. That is correct, Senator.
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