Hillary Clinton condemns media violence

WASHINGTON (AP) - New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton signed on to legislation on Thursday that would penalize the entertainment industry if it continues to market sex and violence to children,

Clinton's Senate bid raked in large sums of money from Hollywood and top entertainment figures like Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Miramax head Harvey Weinstein.

The bill, authored by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., would expand the Federal Trade Commission's authority to crack down on businesses that engage in false and deceptive advertising practices. Entertainment companies found to be marketing adult material to minors would be subject to fines of $11,000 per day.

The FTC issued a report this week critical of the film and video game industries. It singled out the music industry as the worst offender in the study of promotions for adult movies, music and video games to minors.

''At a time when children are barraged from every direction by violent and adult material, parents simply cannot count on the entertainment industry to adequately protect their children from harmful products through self-regulation alone,'' Clinton said.

[OG Note--Did any of you read this far without snorting in derision? Does she know how many parents had to give their kids something to do out of the room so they could watch the news while the media talked about dresses her husband had stained, what 'is' is, and so on?] The television, movie and music industries were among Clinton's largest supporters, giving her Senate bid $594,435, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.

On Friday, Clinton will attend a Democratic retreat in Pennsylvania.

She will not attend a reception at the White House President Bush is hosting Monday for all 535 members of Congress. An aide said Clinton had a previously scheduled speaking engagement in New York.

The former first lady has not been back to her old home since she and the previous president moved out Jan. 20. {OG Note--well she probably knows she'll be followed around by a White House floorwalker.]

On the Net: Clinton:www.senate.gov/(tilde)clinton

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001