You were about to watch that movie. You thought you were going to enjoy it. Then TV-MA popped on the screen. This made you wonder, “What does TV-MA mean?” If you fall into this category and want to know what TV-MA means, this article is for you.
TV-MA-rated movies help guide you. These ratings help you know if a movie is suitable for you before watching it. All other TV ratings serve the same purpose.
The movie industry now films more movies with graphic content and powerful language than ever before. So, what can you do to protect yourself or your children?
In this article, you’ll learn what TV-MA means, including the difference between TV-MA and R-rated movies. If you were once puzzled by these ratings, then continue reading.
What Does TV-MA Mean?
TV-MA means that a particular TV show or movie is only suitable for people over 17.
MA is an abbreviation for “mature audience only.” So, a TV-MA-rated movie is not for viewing by individuals below the age of 17 years.
You should also bear in mind that the MA TV rating is one of the highest TV ratings.
A TV-MA-rated movie may contain graphic content and sexual scenes. It may also have violence, bloodshed, and other scenes that might not be appropriate for a 16-year-old.
Unlike other ratings, which may have some allowances, a TV-MA-rated movie is only suitable for those over 17 years old. Hence, it is one of the highest TV ratings currently in use.
What Does “Rated R” Mean?
We promised to show you the difference between a TV-MA-rated movie and a movie-rated R.
We have tackled the question “What does TV-MA mean?”. So, let us also establish what the R rating means.
R is an abbreviation for restricted. When a movie has an R rating, it is for adults only. However, individuals under the age of 17 can watch it with the guidance of an adult.
Like the MA TV rating, a movie rated R contains graphic content, including sexual scenes and violence.
So, for child viewing (under 17 years), there has to be an accompanying parent or adult guardian supervision.
What is the Difference Between TV-MA and Rated R?
As previously stated, TV-MA means “mature audience only.” This means a movie or TV show is only suitable for individuals over 17. On the other hand, rated R means restricted.
This means that a movie or TV show is suitable for people older than 17 years. However, children younger than 17 years need adult supervision to view it.
At first glance, TV-MA and Rated R are like the same thing. However, the difference is that a TV-MA-rated movie or show is not suitable for children younger than 17 years.
Meanwhile, a movie rated R is for adult viewing. It is also suitable for children if an adult supervises them as they watch.
If you were a child under the age of 17 at a cinema, you could not buy tickets. Movies with an MA TV rating were not available to you.
In contrast, the cinema would allow you to see a movie with an R rating. This is possible if an adult buys you the movie ticket.
Can I Watch A TV-MA Rated As an Under-17?
TV-MA means mature audiences only. Hence, a movie with an MA TV rating is not for you as someone under 17 years old.
However, there is no way to stop children under 17 from watching a TV-MA-rated movie except at the cinema.
This is because in our world today, there is too much exposure to graphic content. This exposure varies in degree on the internet and even beyond the internet.
So, children at home, who now have more liberty than ever before, can go on to watch whatever they like.
You should respect the TV ratings. They help guard your young mind against the negative things that a TV-MA-rated movie may project.
Why Is The TV Rating Important?
TV ratings are necessary for so many reasons. Still, child protection is of foremost importance.
The MA TV rating restricts children below 17 from watching certain content. This content may not be suitable for a young, growing mind.
Even though the movie may be interesting, the things that it projects might corrupt a child.
TV ratings are also good parenting tools to help parents watch what is good or bad for their children.
There is no other way to predict the content in a movie without a rating. It’s difficult to know what to expect.
On a larger scale, TV ratings help to reduce societal vices. A child exposed to so much violence in movies might practice it in real life. This can happen if they do not receive parental guidance.
This happens due to the immaturity of children. They are likely to practice whatever they constantly see, whether good or bad.
What Are Other TV Ratings?
There are so many TV ratings apart from the MA TV rating. But, we would highlight the ones we feel are most important.
TV-Y: It is suitable for children of very young ages.
TV-Y7 FV: This is suitable for children of 7 years and older. FV means fantasy violence. So, these movies may show more combat scenes than regular TV-Y7 movies.
TV-G: A movie-rated TV-G is suitable for all ages.
TV-PG: PG means parental guidance. So, these movies are also suitable for all ages, but children under 7 years need parental guidance for viewing.
Conclusion
If you started this article with the question “What does TV-MA mean?”, we believe you now have your answer.
We have also shown you the difference between a TV-MA-rated movie and an R-rated one. We also showed you some other TV ratings we consider important.
If you are a parent, you can restrict what your child watches using the parental controls on your TV. Now that you know what these ratings mean, you can make informed decisions.
