What Do the TV Ratings Mean?

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Keep your kids safe from questionable or scary content
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The TV Rating System is managed by the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, an organization responsible for working with the FCC to set age-appropriate grades for television programs. [1] By familiarizing yourself with the TV Rating System codes, you’ll be able to make more informed and productive choices when it comes to what your children watch on TV.

What Do TV PG and the Other TV Codes Mean?

The TV Rating System indicators contain three elements. At the top of each code, it says TV. In the middle, in a larger font, you’ll find the rating for the TV show. This determines what ages the program is appropriate for. Under that, you may see 1- to 2-letter codes that indicate what kind of material you might want to be aware of (i.e. “S” for sexual content).

1

TV-Y

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  1. TV-Y programs are designed for children and they’re appropriate for children of any age. The thematic elements portrayed in programs with this rating are safe for any children aged 6 or younger. According to the FCC, programs are “not expected to frighten younger children.” [2]
    • The program may include: No additional content warnings.
    • Examples: Bluey, The Teletubbies, Paw Patrol, Sesame Street , and Peppa Pig.
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2

TV-Y7

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  1. Programs rated TV-Y7 are designed for children ages 7 and older. The FCC says that it “may be more appropriate for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish between make-believe and reality.” [3] The thematic elements portrayed in programs with this rating may include light comedic violence that may be frightening or confusing for children under the age of 7. [4]
    • The program may include: No additional content warnings.
    • Examples: Ducktales, Aladdin, My Little Pony, Phineas and Ferb , and SpongeBob SquarePants.
3

TV-Y7-FV

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  1. TV-Y7-FV was added to the pantheon of TV ratings later to fulfill a niche role that parents were concerned about. It indicates that a program is appropriate for children ages 7 or older, unless the child is sensitive to animated violence. These programs won’t contain blood or serious gore, but characters may hit one another, fall, or be engaged in some other kind of animated violence. [5]
    • The program may include: Fantasy violence (FV)
    • Examples: One Piece, Gravity Falls, SpongeBob SquarePants, Doctor Who , and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
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4

TV-G

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  1. Programs rated TV-G are generally suitable for children of all ages, although the program wasn’t made explicitly for kids. The FCC states that “most parents may let younger children watch this program unattended.” [6] The thematic elements portrayed in programs with this rating contain little or no violence, no strong language, and little or no sexual content. [7]
    • The program may include: Suggestive dialogue (D) or fantasy violence (FV).
    • Examples: X-Men, Inside Out, The Simpsons, Modern Family, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody , and The Big Bang Theory.
5

TV-PG

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  1. Know that TV-PG means Parental Guidance Suggested. Programs rated TV-PG contain material that parents and guardians may find inappropriate for young children under the age of 10. [8]
    • The program may include: Suggestive dialogue (D), language (L), sexual situations (S), and fantasy violence (FV).
    • Examples: Garfield, Looney Tunes, Powerpuff Girls, Teen Titans , and Once Upon a Time.
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6

TV-14

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  1. Programs rated TV-14 may contain some material that parents and guardians may find unsuitable for children under the age of 14. Even after 14, some sensitive teens may struggle with this kind of content. The FCC warns that “parents are cautioned to exercise some care in monitoring this program and are cautioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended.” [9]
    • The program may include: Suggestive dialogue (D), language (L), sexual situations (S), violence (V), and fantasy violence (FV).
    • Examples: How I Met Your Mother, Arrow, The Office, Supernatural, Criminal Minds , and Friends .
7

TV-MA

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  1. Programs rated TV-MA are designed specifically to be viewed by adults. Some content may be unsuitable for children under the age of 17. However, if your child happens to be especially mature or you’re going to monitor them while they watch, it’s totally fine to let your child watch programs that seem appropriate for them. [10]
    • The program may include: Graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activity (S), or crude indecent language (L). In fact, for a program to receive a TV-MA rating, it must contain one these elements.
    • Examples: The Sopranos, American Horror Story, Euphoria, The Walking Dead , and Black Mirror.
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  • Question
    What does NR, AO, TV-MA MOVIE mean?
    Gabe Fletcher
    Community Answer
    AO means Adults Only. It usually has sexual content or very heavy gore or blood. NR means not rated. TV-MA means for Mature Audiences and is similar to R or AO.
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      Tips

      • If you haven’t noticed, the letters below the rating refer to the content warning codes. These refer to specific elements you might want to look out for in a specific program. [11] The letters mean:
        • D: Suggestive dialogue
        • L: Coarse or crude language
        • S: Sexual situations
        • V: Violence
        • FV: Fantasy violence
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.tvguidelines.org/resources/TV_Parental_Guidelines_2022AnnualReport.pdf
      2. ↑ https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/1998/fcc98035.html
      3. ↑ https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/1998/fcc98035.html
      4. ↑ http://www.tvguidelines.org/resources/TheRatings.pdf
      5. ↑ http://www.tvguidelines.org/resources/TheRatings.pdf
      6. ↑ https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/1998/fcc98035.html
      7. ↑ https://www.thetvboss.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TV_Ratings.pdf
      8. ↑ https://www.thetvboss.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TV_Ratings.pdf
      9. ↑ https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/1998/fcc98035.html
      1. ↑ https://www.thetvboss.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TV_Ratings.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/v-chip-putting-restrictions-what-your-children-watch

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