This is where the Children's Television Act comes in. Fortunately, when the Supreme Court considered policies similar to the FCC guidelines, it ruled that broadcasters are park of a public trust, since they must represent those who cannot broadcast as well as those who do.

As part of such a trust, they are obligated to protest the rights of children. Based on this precedent, the Court of Appeals rejected the FCC's turn-around, and this eventually led to the Children's Television Act.

Research suggests that by the age of 18, a child has watched 10 to 15,000 hours of television, and over 200,000 commercials. How much of this television consists of cartoon/advertisements and other junk TV is unclear, but a quick glance at a given day's programming suggests that the proportion is high.

With this recently passed federal law, the FCC has the opportunity to force a change. Unfortunately this is unlikely to occur during the last days of the Bush administration. The act passed into existence unsigned by the president. Considering that Bush's education secretary, Lamer Alexander, is a former board member of "Channel One"--a corporate venture to broadcast television within primary and secondary schools--even this non-action seem amazing.

It's unclear at this stage how President-elect Clinton will come down on the issue.

The Smurfs, it turns out, were included in the text of the Children's Television Act as an example of a television show that demonstrates "pro-social behavior," which presumably means tolerance for those of other size and skin color.

G.I. Joe is a great fellow. He really is. But he is no Smurf. His world of tank battles and missile-warfare is not a pro-social, Smurfy stroll through the forest.

The Children's Television Act is not asking a lot from broadcasters, but until government forces broadcasters to change their ways, they won't. It's now up to the parents, citizens and those concerned for the welfare of our children to push the FCC into action.