HOLLYWOOD SUES FOR CONTROL OF YOUR REMOTE

Activist Group Taking Action to Keep Parents in Charge of Family Night

 Washington, DC – Grassfire.org, an online conservative issues advocacy organization, has been at the forefront of the broadcast decency debate ever since Irish rocker Bono and pop music star Janet Jackson decided that they were going to force their brand of obscenity into your living room during prime time. Now, Hollywood is suing to keep DVD parental control technology out of the hands of parents and families.

The issue surrounds the development of innovative technology that allows parents to preset their DVD player to automatically movie scenes they deem inappropriate. This technology represents a true breakthrough because it doesn’t compromise the DVD in any way, but gives parents total control in programming the kinds of materials they want their children to see.

“The fact that Hollywood doesn't want parents to have this kind of control is absolutely puzzling,” says Steve Elliott, president of Grassfire.org Alliance. “Technology like this can only widen their audience and put more money in their pockets. The fact that they are so passionate about this issue tells us that this is less about money and more about control – or in this case losing control.”

The Family Movie Act of 2004 (HR4586), already passed a House Subcommittee (11-5) and is now in the House Judiciary Committee, is intended to safeguard your right to skip over questionable material. Grassfire.org has already rallied more than 210,000 citizens in support of this bill and expects the support of more than 300,000 in two weeks time.

“We’ve gotten a tremendous response from the American public. They believe Hollywood doesn't have the right to tell us what we can and can't watch,” said Elliot. “Grassfire is building a strong coalition of grassroots support for this bill, and will be delivering petitions to members of the Judiciary committee as well as key members in the House of Representatives in the coming weeks.”

Grassfire.org is an online grassroots organization that provides tools to individuals and organizations seeking to expand their impact on many of today's most important issues. By providing services to more than 1.5 million citizens and dozens of organizations, Grassfire.org is one of the largest online grassroots networks in the nation.

For more information about Grassfire.org, or to schedule an interview with Grassfire President Steve Elliott, contact Max Pulsinelli at 703-739-5920 or email mpulsinelli@sbpublicaffairs.com.