The Digital Media Association Entertainment Merchants Association National Association of Recording Merchandisers and National Association of Theatre Owners have declared June to be Entertainment Ratings and Labeling Awareness Month and in conjunction with the declaration are calling on all movie theaters and retailers of movies music and video games to emphasize the motion picture and video game ratings and music labeling systems as appropriate to their customers. Entertainment Ratings and Labeling Awareness Month is sponsored by the four trade associations through their Coalition of Entertainment Retail Trade Associations. It is declared annually to promote the use of entertainment ratings and labels by encouraging retailers to review their ratings and labeling education and enforcement policies reemphasizing those policies to their employees and educating their customers about the movie and video game ratings and music labeling systems and store policies. “There is a bounty of wonderful entertainment options for people of all ages and the music labeling and motion picture and video game rating systems can help parents choose the right entertainment for their children ” CERTA declared. “While the decision as to what is appropriate for a particular child ultimately rests with the parent retailers can and do play an important role in empowering parents with the tools necessary to make those decisions: the entertainment ratings and labeling systems.” CERTA noted that the voluntary efforts in ratings and labeling education and enforcement by retailers are successful. The latest survey of ratings education and enforcement in retail establishments by the Federal Trade Commission released in April of this year showed significant improvement in ratings and labeling enforcement by all categories of entertainment retailers over the past decade. Retailers can learn more about CERTA and the entertainment industry’s ratings and labeling systems at www.ERLAM.org.
