MPAA

Organization

The Motion Picture Association of America, cited by Elon Musk as a highly successful model for industry self-regulation.


First Mentioned

9/20/2026, 6:40:53 PM

Last Updated

9/20/2026, 6:42:16 PM

Research Retrieved

9/20/2026, 6:42:16 PM

Summary

The Motion Picture Association (MPA), formerly known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), is an American trade organization founded in 1922. It represents major film studios, including Amazon MGM Studios, and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Initially established to ensure the viability of the American film industry, the MPA developed content guidelines that led to the creation of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1930, later replaced by a voluntary film rating system managed by the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA). The MPA actively lobbies for the motion picture and television industries, focusing on copyright protection, market access expansion, and combating copyright infringement through various means, including efforts against peer-to-peer file sharing and pirate streaming sites. Charles Rivkin currently serves as the chairman and CEO of the MPA.

Research Data
Extracted Attributes
    Motion Picture Association

    The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American trade association representing the major film studios of the United States, the mini-major Amazon MGM Studios, as well as the video streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Founded in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) and known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) from 1945 until September 2019, its original goal was to ensure the viability of the American film industry. In addition, the MPA established guidelines for film content which resulted in the creation of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1930. This code, also known as the Hays Code, was replaced by a voluntary film rating system in 1968, which is managed by the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA). The MPA has lobbied for the motion picture and television industry, with the goals of promoting effective copyright protection, expanding market access and has worked to curb copyright infringement, including attempts to limit the sharing of copyrighted works via peer-to-peer file sharing networks and by streaming from pirate sites. Former United States ambassador to France Charles Rivkin is the chairman and CEO.

    Web Search Results
    • Motion Picture Association - Wikipedia

      The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American trade association representing the major film studios of the United States, the mini-major Amazon MGM Studios, as well as the video streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Founded in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) and known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) from 1945 until September 2019, its original goal was to ensure the viability of the American film industry. In addition, the MPA established guidelines for film content which resulted in the creation of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1930. This code, also known as the Hays Code, was replaced by a voluntary film rating system in 1968, which is managed by the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA). [...] Former U.S. diplomat and Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Charles Rivkin succeeded Chris Dodd as CEO on September 5, 2017, and as chairman effective December 6, 2017.[citation needed] On January 25, 2019, film streaming service Netflix announced that it had joined the MPAA in an effort to identify itself among the major studios. In September 2019, the association updated its branding to reflect the global nature of the film, television, and streaming industry, officially changing its name to the Motion Picture Association (MPA), a name which it has used internationally since 1994. An updated logo also went into effect at this time. [...] As of 1995, the MPAA members were MGM—which included United Artists after their 1981 merger, Paramount, Sony Pictures—which included Columbia and TriStar Pictures after their 1989 acquisition, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Disney, and Warner Bros. Turner Entertainment joined the MPAA in 1995, but was purchased in 1996 by Time Warner. The number of members dropped to six in 2005, following Sony's failed attempt to acquire MGM. The MPAA's member companies remained intact until the 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, including 20th Century Fox.

    • Motion Picture Association of America Rating System | Film | Research Starters | EBSCOhost

      The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Rating System is a voluntary classification system that provides guidance on the suitability of films for different audiences, helping parents make informed viewing choices. Established in 1968, this system replaced the earlier Motion Picture Production Code, which faced criticism and legal challenges due to its restrictive nature. The initial categories included G (General Audiences), M (Mature Audiences), R (Restricted), and X (no one under 16 admitted). Over time, the system evolved, introducing categories such as PG (Parental Guidance) in 1972, PG-13 in 1984, and changing X to NC-17 in 1990 to better reflect contemporary societal standards. The MPAA conducts regular surveys to ensure the effectiveness and relevance of the ratings, which [...] ### Origins and History The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was established in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) under the leadership of Will H. Hays, former United States postmaster general. The association’s goal was to police and govern the film industry without federal and state interference and to actively promote a positive image of the industry among the American public. The MPPDA initiated self-censorship when it established the Motion Picture Production Code in 1930. The Code, as it became known, was regulated by the Production Code Administration (PCA). In the mid-1940’s, the MPPDA changed its name to the Motion Picture Association of America. [...] ### Origins and History The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was established in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) under the leadership of Will H. Hays, former United States postmaster general. The association’s goal was to police and govern the film industry without federal and state interference and to actively promote a positive image of the industry among the American public. The MPPDA initiated self-censorship when it established the Motion Picture Production Code in 1930. The Code, as it became known, was regulated by the Production Code Administration (PCA). In the mid-1940’s, the MPPDA changed its name to the Motion Picture Association of America.

    • What is MPAA — History of the Hollywood Ratings System

      The MPAA is a multifaceted organization that represents the interests of the major film studios along with streaming services. MPAA stands for Motion Picture Association of America. In 2019, the organization’s name and acronym were shortened to MPA: Motion Picture Association. The MPA has a hand in film distribution, the international film trade, anti-piracy efforts, and anti-copyright infringement efforts. The MPA also runs the voluntary film rating system and has been involved in American film regulation and censorship since the 1920s. The censorship efforts conducted by the MPAA and the ways in which they rate films have been the subject of much controversy over the years. We will be digging into each of these avenues in much greater detail in the following sections. [...] The rating system changed a great deal over the years, but the last significant change to the system came in 1990 when the X rating was exchanged for the NC-17 rating. For a deeper dive into the MPAA’s rating system, be sure to read our movie ratings explained article. ## What Does the MPAA Do ### The modern day MPA Under the current leadership of Charles Rivkin, the MPA continues to operate to this day. The name was shortened from the “Motion Picture Association of America” to just the “Motion Picture Association” in 2019. The organization has said the reason behind this name change was to, “reflect the global nature of film.” The MPA name only became official within the U.S. in 2019 but has been used internationally since 1994. [...] ## MPAA Explained: Formerly the Motion Picture Association of America Runs the voluntary film rating system Works in the interest of movie studios ## When Was the MPAA Rating System Established ### The origins of the MPAA The shift from MPAA to MPA wasn’t the only time the organization shortened their name. When the organization was founded in 1922, it went by the name: Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, or MPPDA for short. This name stuck until a rebranding effort was made in 1945, at which point the acronym was shortened to MPAA. You can see the organization’s original logo used in this bumper played at the end of the film New York Nights from 1929. MPPDA (1929) #### The original MPPDA logo • MPAA film rating system

    • Motion Picture Association - Nexus, the Fanoncyclopedia

      May 24, 2024 - The Motion Picture Association (MPA)[1][2] is an American trade association representing the five major film studios of the United States, as well as the video streaming service Netflix.

    • Motion Picture Association film rating system - Wikipedia

      On November 1, 1968, the voluntary MPAA film rating system took effect, with three organizations serving as its monitoring and guiding groups: the MPAA, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), and the International Film Importers & Distributors of America (IFIDA). Only films that premiered in the United States after that date were affected by this. Walter Reade was the only one of 75 top U.S. exhibitors who refused to use the ratings. Warner Bros.-Seven Arts' The Girl on a Motorcycle was the first film to receive the X rating, and was distributed by their Claridge Pictures subsidiary. Two other films were rated X by the time the MPAA published their first weekly bulletin listing ratings: Paramount's Sin With a Stranger and Universal's Birds in Peru. Both films were subsequently [...] [edit] Many critics of the system, both conservative and liberal, would like to see the MPAA ratings unveiled and the standards made public. The MPAA has consistently cited nationwide scientific polls (conducted each year by the Opinion Research Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey), which show that parents find the ratings useful. Critics such as Matt Stone in Kirby Dick's documentary This Film Is Not Yet Rated respond this proves only that parents find the ratings more useful than nothing at all. In the film, it is also discussed how the MPAA will not reveal any information about how or why certain decisions are made, and that the association will not even reveal to the filmmaker the specific scenes that need to be cut in order to get an alternative rating. [...] In September 1990, the MPAA introduced the rating NC-17 ("No Children Under 17 Admitted"). Henry & June, previously to be assigned an X rating, was the first film to receive the NC-17 rating instead. Although films with an NC-17 rating had more mainstream distribution opportunities than X-rated films, many theaters refused to screen them, most entertainment media did not accept advertising for them, and many large video outlets refused to stock them. Additionally, the MPAA started to include explanations, or "descriptors", of why each film received an "R" rating, allowing parents to know what type of content the film contained. For example, the descriptor for The Girl Who Played with Fire "The Girl Who Played with Fire (film)") read "Rated [R] for brutal violence including a rape, some

    Location Data

    MPAA/Saint-Germain, Rue Félibien, Quartier de l'Odéon, Paris 6e Arrondissement, Paris, Île-de-France, France métropolitaine, 75006, France

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    Coordinates: 48.8521193, 2.3364208

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