ESRB Announces New PSA From Pennsylvania Governor

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has announced a new public awareness campaign to highlight its game ratings system, comprised of radio and television PSAs featuring Pennsylvania governor Edward G. Rendell and running statewide. The ESRB has run several such public awareness campaigns in other states, most recently in Idaho Oklahoma, Delaware and Texas with either state governors or state senators representing their respective regions. According to the ESRB, most recent report issued by the Federal Trade Commission found that 89 percent of parents with children who play video games are aware of the ratings system, and nearly three out of four parents use them regularly when buying games. This represents a slight improvement for the ESRB, who when announcing its Texas public service campaign, cited an 87 percent awareness rate. Said Governor Rendell, “Parents face many tough decisions about the images and media they allow into their homes. Game ratings developed by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board offer an effective and informative tool to help parents to decide if a certain video game is appropriate. When ratings are used in conjunction with parental controls that are available on newer game systems, parents are able to make sure that their children are playing only games they deem suitable.”