EL SEGUNDO, Calif. and SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIRECTV (Nasdaq:DTV), the nation's leading satellite television service provider, and Common Sense Media, the nation's leading nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the impact of media and entertainment on kids and families, have formed a partnership that is helping millions of DIRECTV's customers find age-appropriate programming for their families.
Common Sense Media's detailed, age-based information and reviews for regular, pay-per-view, and DIRECTV on Demand programming are now available at DIRECTV.com. Based on childhood development criteria, Common Sense Media's ratings system helps parents make decisions about which movies, video games, TV shows, Web sites, books, and music are right for their kids.
To access the ratings information, customers click on a TV show or movie title on the DIRECTV.com programming guide and use the "Parental Ratings" tab to link directly to Common Sense Media's helpful information on the program's violence, sexual content, messages, and more, right at the critical point of decision. After reviewing the ratings, parents can use DIRECTV's DVR Scheduler by simply clicking on the "record to receiver" tab and scheduling the program to record on their DVR at home -- only at DIRECTV.com.
"Finding age-appropriate TV shows and movies that their kids can really enjoy is a challenge that parents face every day," said Anne Zehren, president of Common Sense Media. "We know that our reviews will be a powerful resource for DIRECTV customers as they meet that challenge to make smart, quality media choices that they can experience together as families.
"Right now, parents can find Common Sense Media reviews online at DIRECTV.com, but we're working to expand that content to on-screen and on-demand programming in the future," Zehren added.
"DIRECTV is committed to delivering the best family-oriented content, and providing our customers with guidance from Common Sense Media is a great way to do this," said Eric Shanks, executive vice president of entertainment for DIRECTV. "Parents are now finding what they need to know on DIRECTV.com to make informed programming choices for their families and then using our DVR Scheduler to set up a recording of that programming on their home DVR. We are looking forward to expanding Common Sense Media's ratings system throughout the DIRECTV experience."
About DIRECTV
DIRECTV, Inc. (Nasdaq:DTV), the nation's leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest TV experience available to more than 17.6 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with more than 130 HD channels -- more quality HD channels than any other television provider. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to more than 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed all national cable companies for eight years running), and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit DIRECTV.com.
The DIRECTV logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6009
About Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media is the nation's leading nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the impact of media and entertainment on kids and families. Common Sense Media provides trustworthy ratings and reviews of media and entertainment based on child development criteria created by leading national experts. For more information, visit commonsensemedia.org.
The Common Sense Media logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6008