When you see “TV 14” pop up before starting a show on platforms like Netflix or Hulu, it means that the content is suitable for viewers aged 14 and above. This rating indicates that the show may contain material that most parents would find unsuitable for children under the age of 14.
Programs with a TV 14 rating may include content such as intense suggestive dialogue, strong coarse language, intense sexual situations, or intense violence. It is a step up in terms of content compared to shows rated for general audiences.
TV ratings are provided by broadcast and cable television networks, as well as program producers, to help parents make informed decisions about what shows are appropriate for their children to watch. The ratings aim to provide guidance on age-appropriate content and help families choose programming that aligns with their values and preferences.
TV 14 is a TV rating that indicates the show contains material that may not be suitable for children under the age of 14. The content may include intensely suggestive dialogue, strong coarse language, intense sexual situations, or intense violence.
It’s important for parents and guardians to be aware of these ratings to make informed decisions about what their children watch. TV 14 shows are considered to be on a similar level to PG-13 rated movies in terms of content, but they may have some elements that could be considered more intense or mature.
As with movie ratings, TV ratings are designed to provide guidance and help viewers make choices based on their preferences and age-appropriateness for different audiences. Stranger Things is indeed a popular example of a TV 14 rated show.
TV Parental Guideline ratings
Over the years, it’s evident that the content we, as Americans, consume has become increasingly saturated with sexual and violent elements. It’s quite a challenge to find a show on the air today that doesn’t have some level of sexualization or violence.
This growing concern prompted parents to seek ways to understand the type of content their children were exposed to. In response, the US Congress proposed in 1996 that the television industry should assign ratings to their shows. These ratings would provide parents with valuable insights into the appropriateness of the content for various age groups.
Around ten days after the proposal, in 1997, the voluntary TV Parental Guideline ratings were introduced. Shows began displaying ratings before airing, giving viewers a heads-up on the nature of the content they were about to watch. These ratings cover a range of categories:
- TV-Y: Meant for all children, designed for a very young audience.
- TV-Y7 FV: Suitable for children aged 7 and older, with some fantasy violence.
- TV-G: Suitable for all ages, may be of little interest to children, with mild language and minimal or no violence or sexual content.
- TV-PG: May not be suitable for children under 7, containing some coarse language, suggestive dialogue, or moderate violence.
- TV-14: Contains material unsuitable for children under 14, with intensely suggestive dialogue, strong coarse language, intense sexual situations, or intense violence.
- TV-MA: Meant for adults only, not suitable for children under 17, may include crude indecent language, explicit sexual activity, and graphic violence.
These ratings enable parents to make informed decisions about what their children watch, and they provide a valuable tool for navigating the increasingly mature content landscape.
The content descriptors
The TV ratings we’ve explored above are primarily categorized based on three main elements: sexual content, language, and violence. The combination and intensity of these elements determine the final rating assigned to a show. For instance, a show might contain some sexual dialogue or situations, but very little or no violence, resulting in a TV-14 rating. Conversely, a show could have violence but no sexual situations.
To provide further clarity about the content, content descriptors have been established and can be displayed alongside the ratings:
- D: Indicates sexual or suggestive dialogue.
- L: Refers to coarse or crude language.
- S: Represents sexual situations.
- V: Denotes violence.
Every parent has their unique parenting style and beliefs, and these descriptors aid them in making decisions about what their children can watch. For example, some parents might be fine with sexual or suggestive dialogue but may draw the line at sexual situations. In such cases, seeing a “D” descriptor might be acceptable, while an “S” descriptor would prompt them to consider the show off-limits. These content descriptors offer valuable information to parents as they navigate the suitability of TV shows for their children.
TV 14 Shows That Are Popular
The TV-14 rating is intended to inform adult viewers that the show they are about to watch may not be suitable for children under the age of 14. However, it’s worth noting that there is quite a wide range of content within TV-14 rated shows.
To provide you with an idea of the type of content that falls under the TV-14 rating, here are some popular TV shows with this rating:
- Stranger Things
- The Office
- Friends
- Virgin River
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- The Umbrella Academy
- Grey’s Anatomy
- NCIS
- Law & Order
- Suits
- Lost
- The Black List
- The Mandalorian
- This is Us
- The Vampire Diaries
- How I Met Your Mother
- The X-Files
Keep in mind that even though these shows carry the TV-14 rating for the entire series, the content can vary significantly from episode to episode. So, it’s essential to remain vigilant and exercise discretion when selecting specific episodes to watch, especially if you have concerns about the suitability of certain content for younger audiences.
Difference between TV-14 and PG-13 ratings
At a glance, TV-14 and PG-13 ratings may seem similar due to the language used to describe them. However, there are two significant differences between them:
Firstly, “PG-13” is part of the movie ratings system, while “TV-14” belongs to the TV/broadcasting rating system.
Secondly, the key difference lies in their suitability for 13-year-olds. While PG-13 movies may be considered acceptable for 13-year-olds with parental guidance, TV-14 content is generally not deemed appropriate for children under the age of 14.
TV-14 shows often include stronger language, more intense sexual situations, and/or violence than you would typically find in a PG-13 movie.
Ultimately, the decision of what is suitable for your children is entirely up to you as a parent or guardian. It’s essential to consider your child’s maturity level and personal values when making viewing choices.
How to stop kids from watching the TV 14 programme?
In the present day, almost every TV is equipped with parental controls, and the method of implementing these controls will depend on the specific make and model of your TV.
To set up parental controls on your TV, you can easily find step-by-step instructions by searching on platforms like YouTube. For instance, if you have a Samsung TV, you can search for “Parental Controls Samsung TV” to get precise guidelines.
Parental controls can be applied at three levels to prevent children from watching TV-14 content:
- Cable/broadcasting
- Smart TV app store
- The app itself
In the past, when smart TVs were not prevalent, your main concern was cable/broadcasting. By blocking TV-14 cable content, you could control access effectively.
However, with the rise of smart TVs and streaming devices like Roku and Firestick, a plethora of apps can be directly downloaded to the TV, offering on-demand content. This has increased the variety of available content, including TV-14 shows. Fortunately, modern parental controls have adapted to this scenario quite effectively.
Most TVs now provide options to lock down the app store, requiring a password to access certain or all apps, and even restricting the ability to download new apps.
Moreover, you can also set restrictions within each app. For example, on platforms like Netflix, you can establish individual profiles with their own parental controls. If your son is 13 years old and you want to block TV-14 content, you can customize his profile accordingly.
By utilizing these parental controls, you can manage your child’s access to TV-14 content, making sure they view content appropriate for their age and maturity level.
Wrapping it up
TV 14 signifies that the show contains content that most parents would deem unsuitable for children under the age of 14.
This rating indicates the presence of intensely suggestive dialogue, strong coarse language, intense sexual situations, or intense violence.
TV 14 is comparable to a PG-13 rated movie, but with the distinction that TV-14 shows generally have slightly stronger language, more intense sexual situations, and/or violence.
Popular examples of TV 14 shows are “Stranger Things” and “The Office.”
If you are considering using parental controls to restrict TV 14 content, it’s important to apply these controls at the following levels:
- Cable/broadcasting
- Smart TV app store
- Within each app
By setting up these restrictions, you can ensure that children are not exposed to content that may not be suitable for their age and maturity level.
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