The Green Sheet (newsletter)
The Green Sheet was a monthly newsletter established in 1933, aimed at guiding parents on which films were suitable for children. It provided ratings for current films based on the evaluations of a ten-member board composed of representatives from various religious, educational, and film interest groups. Although its readership was limited to around thirty thousand, it played a notable role in film censorship discussions during its time. Funded by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (MPPDA), The Green Sheet was part of a broader effort to regulate film content, although its ratings were not permitted to be used in film advertising. Initially focused on domestic films, the newsletter expanded its coverage in the 1960s to include foreign films and increased its stringent criteria for what it deemed appropriate for children. The Green Sheet's influence reflects the evolving landscape of film ratings and public discourse on children's media consumption.
The Green Sheet (newsletter)
Type of work: Newsletter
First published: 1933
Author: Film Board of National Organizations
Subject matter: Monthly film ratings designed to help parents guide their children’s viewing
Significance: In an effort to avoid outside censorship, the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (MPPDA) underwrote this publication
Designed to guide parents as to which films should be viewed by children, The Green Sheet was a monthly newsletter that rated current films according to age groups. Established in 1933, the publication arrived at its findings through the opinions of a ten-member board, which consisted of various religious, special interest, educational, and film groups. Readership was limited and rarely exceeded thirty thousand people. Funding for the publication came from the film industry’s MPPDA (later renamed the Motion Picture Association of America), which had been founded in the 1920’s as a self-regulating association that deleted film material they thought offensive. Although the MPPDA underwrote The Green Sheet, it did not allow the newsletter’s film ratings to appear in film advertisements.
Criticized for reviewing less than half of the films released in the United States each year, the newsletter expanded its coverage during the 1960’s. Its reviews were originally restricted to domestic films, but after 1963 it began rating foreign films as well. As the publication included more titles it also became more stringent on what it regarded as acceptable for children.