What is a PG-13 Movie?
I have been watching with interest as new phenomenon takes place inside our nations movie theaters. No, Im not referring to a growing incidence rate in couples necking, but an unusual increase in the number of PG-13 movies being released into the theaters as of late. Typically, 60% of all movies released during any given year are rated R. I was addressing a college media class recently, and a student asked if the studios release so many R-rated movies because there is a larger audience for that type of entertainment. There is no simple answer, but I believe that Hollywood has, perhaps unintentionally, created a target audience of movie goers who favor violent, sex-driven stories by filling the screens with a disproportionate number of R-rated films since the birth of the ratings system back in 1968. Adult-oriented movies certainly are not created with the family audience in mind. Releasing a 60% rate of R-rated movies sends a clear message to most parents and discriminating adults that
