News | 2016
2016
Guest op-ed: A smoke-free scene
Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams | Brooklyn Reporter (17 Nov 2016)
The solution is an “R” rating for all movies that contain tobacco imagery. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that giving an “R” rating to future movies with tobacco would be expected to reduce the number of teen smokers by nearly one in five and prevent one million deaths from smoking among children alive today.
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Movie ratings can deem films with tobacco use as OK for kids, judge rules
David Lieberman | Deadline Hollywod (11 Nov 2016)
The MPAA has a free speech right to assign a G, PG, or PG-13 rating to movies that depict tobacco use, a U.S. District Court has ruled — rejecting an argument that the practice is a form of commercial speech that dangerously encourages kids to smoke.
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Hollywood studios beat lawsuit over PG and PG-13 rating films featuring smoking
Eriq Gardner | The Hollywood Reporter (11 Nov 2016)
A judge concludes that ratings are opinions, that misrepresentations haven't been made and that the proposed class action interferes with free speech.
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Judge wary of lawsuit over smoking in movies
Nicholas Iovino | Courthouse News Service (31 Oct 2016)
A federal judge on Friday seemed skeptical of arguments that the motion picture industry misrepresents the content of films by not giving R ratings to all movies featuring tobacco smoking.
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Studios focus on opinionated nature of movie ratings in smoking-in-films lawsuit
Eriq Gardner | The Hollywood Reporter (16 Sep 2016)
MPAA members tell a judge that "PG," "PG-13" and other ratings don't represent seals of approval.
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MPAA rips USC study that says state tax incentives have no effect on jobs, wages
David Robb | Deadline.com (14 Sep 2016)
The MPAA has accused Thom of “academic malpractice,” stating that his study is so flawed that it not only tarnishes his own reputation but USC’s as well.
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Call for smoking to be removed from children's movies
Tim Sandle | Digital Journal (10 Sep 2016)
Hot topic for discussion as Toronto International Film Festival kicks off.
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Activists oppose Benegal report
DHNS | Deccan Herald (10 Aug 2016)
Activists on Tuesday opposed a recent proposal to do away with the static mandatory anti-tobacco message shown in movies and television serials when smoking scenes appear on the screen.
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'Anti-tobacco advisory should not be removed'
| The Hindu (3 Aug 2016)
India's former health minister opposes weakening tobacco warnings in films.
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Anti-smoking message only at start of film?
Himanshi Dhawani | The Times of India (1 Aug 2016)
The Shyam Benegal committee has recommended scrapping the existing advisory and replacing it with a static visual at the beginning of the film.
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