TV Censorship

All in all, TV is a she-beast. Turn on the tube, there's not much at all that isn't offensive! Honestly. TV is basically crap; and that's fine as long as people recognize it as such.

I would assume that it would be adults watching Desperate Housewives. If not, well, then, don't let your kids watch that drivvle! Or, lobby for better programing choices. But censoring is silly.

What I think is outrageous was when networks were not showing Saving Private Ryan b/c they were afraid of the FCC. There is a fine line between creating rules for content to keep total garbage from getting on tv during prime time and creating a world where stations are actually afraid to show decent material that is historically accurate...

Not to mention, if the FCC is only reacting to demands of parents and people who think it's the FCC's job to watch what their kids see. So, don't blame the networks or the FCC. Blame the parents. The networks would be more than happy to show more sex, violence and language because that's what sells but they know they can't get away with it because of those people who whine and cry all day about the negative effects of tv.

Exactly. I mean - shows that aren't family oriented typically come on later, and there is a rating system in place so that parents can make educated decisions about what kids should watch. Now parents aren't always around - but that's why there is the vchip and cable controls etc.

dancingnancy wrote:

Exactly. I mean - shows that aren't family oriented typically come on later, and there is a rating system in place so that parents can make educated decisions about what kids should watch. Now parents aren't always around - but that's why there is the vchip and cable controls etc.

This is a little bit of the whole chicken/egg thing.

The government shouldn't regulate TV content and parents should do it themselves but the TV ratings and VChip came about because the industry itself wasn't doing anything to help parents control the content.

The only reason ratings are now displayed and the V-Chip exist is because the producers of programs continued to push the envelope of what was permissible under the existing FCC rules. In effect the idea from the producers is "Look, we're going to voilate the FCC rules but hey! It's ok beacuse were going to warn people that we're doing it."

What groups like TV Watch fail to tell you is that the ratings are 100% voluntary and mean absolutely nothing. The show's producers decide for themselves what rating to slap on their show. They also neglect to mention that most TVs that are more than 3 or 4 years old don't have a V-Chip in them and that the V-Chip only works if the appropriate signal is broadcast with the program (which isn't always the case).

Your Desperate Housewives is rated as "TV-PG" - the same rating as "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Cheers" and "The Drew Cary Show". So if a parents wants to make use of the V-Chip to block Desperate Housewives they end up blocking thes other programs which many would find much less objectionable. The VChip is a farce.

Bottom line is television sucks anyway...seldom is there a program worth watching and if the only hook is filthy language and meaningless smut then one really needs to wonder what the deeper problem is with people. Why are people more interested in hearing vulgarities and seeing gratuitous sex and violence in place of solid plot lines?

Those ratings don't mean "nothing" - and I don't think TV Watch is claiming they're the end-all be-all.

I think the ratings are meant to be a guide to helping parents judge the content of a show.

As for the Vchip - it would make sense, to me, that as a parent I would choose not to have my child watch The Drew Carey Show either so I wouldn't mind that the vchip blocked those shows too. Drew Carey needs to be no where near my children.

Also - I don't think that they're saying the ratings and vchip are the answer - the greater goal is to put the power in the hands of the parents and help, as best as possible, to arm them with knowledge.

But back in my day, my parents had the cable channel block MTV (which TV Watch also mentions as a method) and other channels they didn't want me to watch. Folks without a vchip can certainly do that - you see what I mean?

Well, we've got some "talk shows" ('my friend is cheating', a couple of 'court shows' etc) who even have a more vulgar language than those after ... ten o'clock, I think is the limit.

Similar to the UK, we have got a voluntary selfregulation of television.

Here in the UK, there is a voluntary "watershed" of 9pm, which was agreed upon by both sides ie Government and broadcasters.
Before this time, all programmes should be considered as suitable for family viewing, using common sense as the rule of thumb.
After this time, stronger language can be used, and "soft" sexual content included.

As a result, any swear words or naughty bits before 9pm, stick out like a sore thumb, which results in complaints flooding in to our TV "Watchdog", who take up the matter with the relevant broadcasting company.
These complaints are then used once again, when the offending company negotiates the renewal of their broadcasting license.

It seems to work, and everyone (on both sides) knows that it is put there for a valid reason.

Usually, by about 10pm, it is a case of "anything goes" really, apart from graphic sex. I just wish that they would sometimes cut out the gratuitous violence as well.

The only problem I could see with introducing this into U.S. TV, would be that you have several time zones.......maybe technology could get round this somehow?

With this 9pm barrier, the parents do not need to worry too much about the adult content of TV in the early evening, and then the ball is firmly in their court once 9pm has arrived. If they allow their children to watch TV after this time, then it is up to the parents to monitor the programmes being watched.