The Parents Television Council is praising El Rey Network for conceding it had mis-rated an Aug. 29 airing for Pulp Fiction on the start-up network and taking steps to insure there would be no repeat of the error.
El Rey had rated the violent film TV-14, which signals it is not suitable for 13 and under. PTC reached out to protest the suggestion it was suitable for a 14 year old.
An El Rey programming executive reached back, according to a copy of a Sept. 22 letter to PTC.
"El Rey Network is a start-up cable network and we are still establishing and improving upon our internal systems. We take the TV Parental Ratings very seriously and want to assure you that we make every effort to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the content ratings assigned to the programs we broadcast," wrote Dan Kozlowski, associate director, programming and acquisitions. "We have reviewed this matter and have determined that the movie Pulp Fiction should have been rated TV-MA. The incorrect rating was the result of a systems failure as well as human error and both of these issues have been addressed internally and corrected for all future airings of this title."
PTC was understandably pleased.
“At a time when it seem that many networks shield themselves from responsibility by hiding behind inaccurate TV content ratings, it is refreshing to find one network which not only acknowledges an innocent mistake, but takes steps to correct it, and promises to act in the best interests of parents and consumers going forward," PTC president Tim Winter said in response to the letter.
El Rey is a 24-hour English-language network founded by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez and self-described as a home for "Cinematic TV. Badass Flicks. Killer Opportunities."
