CORT SSAC tar uae) 522 Fifth Avenue, New York 36, N for release Y. 1N PSX Friday A.M.'s November 18, 1966 REMARKS BY JACK VALENTI, PRESIDENT Motion Picture Association of America, Inc,, at the National Convention of the AP Managing Editors - San Diego, California, November 18, 1966. Jack Valenti, speaking before the Associated Press Managing Editors at their National Convention at the Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, California, Friday afternoon, (November 18) will point up the world scope and size of the U. 8. motion picture industry that makes an important contribution to the U, 8. balance of payments and will generate an estimated billion dollar plus gross at theatre voxoffices in the United States in 1966. In discussing the industry's recently revised Production Code, Valenti said: “why should we have a Code at all? “The answer is simple. If we agree that motion pictures have a persuasive power beyond ordinary bounds -~ a potency shared by newspapers ~~ then rational good sense demands that some form of responsible creativity be volun- tarily assumed." He went on to explain: “Here is the central theme of the New Code, these-2- boundaries are not rigidly fastened down -- there is no Berlin yall standing visible, inflexible, and immovable. And the reagon is clear: In areas of creativity and taste no one is wise enough, or prescient enough, or so divinely inspired that he or she or they can, with finality, declare the public response -- or even assess the majority opinion. "thus, the Code, recognizing it is neither God nor tyrant, counsels with the creative people fitting scene and seript to the guidelines of the Code." after explaining to the associated Press editors that the new Code introduces a new labeling line on certain mature theme films that reads: SUGGESTED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES, he pointed out that thia line is used on the film itself and in all advertising for pictures so designated. Valenti explained further: "The Code believes the parent 1s one person who should decide what his children are capable of seeing and understanding. This is a responsibility that is primarily parental. “and the best way to allow parents full access to this decision is to provide as much information as pos- sible. ‘Thus, when the parent sees the line: SUGGESTED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES -- he is being told: 'Mr. and Mrs. Parent, you find out as much as you can about this movie, and then you be the judge of its worth and content. what we are doing is identifying pictures we think you ought to know-3- more about before you allow your children to go, But we don't think we, oz anyone else, ought to force you to éo anything you choore not to do. You are the arbiter of your family's conduct.'" He emphasized to the editors “that those who would obstruct this freedom of choice by the parent by passing local or state laws setting up legal classifica~ tion of films invade your sanctuary of freedom as much as they do ours. Freedom, said a wise statesman, must be defended at all t:imez because like virtue it is at all times besieged." In closing, Mx, Valenti asked the editors to help the motion picture industry bring more information about current motion pictures to parents. He asked his audience: ‘what can your newspaper do to enlarge the family's knowledge of movies? “gach day, or at least several times a week, you could print a movie log which outlines films playing in your community and whether or not they are ‘suggested for mature audiences He suggested further: “You could reprint the Green Sheet movie summaries -- capsule reports of film con~ tent, aimed specifically for family information. We now send these free of charge to every daily newspaper. weekly newspapers may obtain them too - just for asking, ‘The Green