The federal government is entrusted with the public airwaves with the expectation that it will allow them to be used wisely. And though some children’s advocates praised President Clinton’s recent agreement with television executives to broadcast three hours of educational shows a week for children, the deal seems out of sync with the idea that children need to be protected from various types of programming.

Three hours a week is the rough equivalent of a 15-second station break in a Saturday morning of cartoons. The chances of a child wanting to watch television at the time an educational show is offered is small. In fact, the broadcasting industry says the average TV station already airs just over four hours of educational shows a week for children, so the agreement would allow for a reduction in that minuscule amount.

The pact with television executives was important for the president for political reasons — he is trying to demonstrate that he is comfortably riding the family values bandwagon. The TV executives, who earlier agreed to a TV ratings system, appear to like this voluntary approach because they are mindful of congressional eagerness to settle the issue for them. But how their concern will translate into actual programming remains a question. The Associated Press recently reported that some TV stations declared to the Federal Communications Commission they had met educational needs by showing “The Jetsons” and “Leave It to Beaver” reruns.

The agreement does not cover cable television and does nothing to ensure that the vast majority of children’s programming will be in any way improved. Certainly, the old retort that the best way to control television viewing is with the on/off switch is true. On the other hand, television shows take up space in a limited public domain. Where there is an excessively violent or toy-driven show, a better production is excluded.

Networks agree to act responsibly in exercising their licensed broadcast rights. The paltry three hours agreed to this week makes virtually no demand for them to do that.