Choice

Cable offers a wide range of programs for family viewing. For teachers and parents, Cable in the Classroom - the cable industry's education foundation - is a source for commercial-free, educationally-rich television programs and websites, along with information and tips for using media wisely.

Programs Suitable for the Family

Cable television provides a wide choice of programs, offering something for everyone in your family. However, not all programs are suitable for every audience.

This list includes cable programs created just for children, as well as some programs that may be suitable for anyone in your family. You are the best judge of what is appropriate for your family, and we encourage you to seek additional information on specific shows before deciding whether they’re right for you and your kids.

All programs on this list carry one of the following TV ratings:

• TV-Y (designed to be appropriate for all children)
• TV-Y7 (designed for children age 7 and above)
• TV-G (most parents will find appropriate for all ages)
• TV-PG (program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children).

In addition to the programs listed in the link below, there are many cable networks that provide families with informative news, weather, and public affairs programming, such as:

• Bloomberg Television
• C-SPAN
• CNBC
• CNN
• Fox News
• MSNBC
• The Weather Channel

Furthermore, you can find a variety of live sporting events and other sports programs on networks such as:

• CBS College Sports Network
• ESPN
• Fox Sports Net
• The Golf Channel
• The Outdoor Channel
• Versus
• The Tennis Channel

Most news, sports and public affairs programs do not carry a TV rating.

Educational Programs

Cable in the Classroom, cable's education foundation, recognizes that learning takes place not just in classrooms, but also in family rooms, in community centers and on playgrounds. All of us - parents, caregivers and teachers - are educating children. That's why the same educational resources teachers are using at school are also available to families at home.

Here are three quick ways to find safe, informative, enlightening and enjoyable programs on Cable in the Classroom's website:

• Click on www.ciconline.org.
• Search for programs on specific topics or networks.
• Browse through programs by subject areas.