MUMBAI: A new draft report from the US media watchdog the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggests the US government may be able to limit violence on TV in a way that does not violate the Constitution.

The long-overdue report suggests that Congress could craft a law that would let the agency regulate violent programming much like it regulates sexual content and profanity — by barring it from being aired during hours when children may be watching, for example.

An FCC official was quoted in media reports saying that violence could be treated similarly to broadcast indecency, with its airing prohibited during times when children might be watching.

However the official the FCC hasn't officially adopted the findings of the draft report. Congress could order cable and satellite TV providers to allow viewers to buy channels individually or in family-friendly packages to limit how much violence children see.
The report had been requested by Congress. The report also suggests that cable and satellite TV could be subjected to an "a la carte" regime that would let viewers choose their channels.

Citing studies, the draft says that there is evidence that violent programming can lead to "short-term aggressive behavior in children".