Conservatives Say FOX Too Racy
Read the <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=91&u=/bpihw/20020207/en_bpihw/conservatives_want_fcc_to_look_at_racy_fox_shows"; target="_blank">Hollywoo d Reporter article</a>.
[quote] coalition of Christian and conservative groups is calling on federal regulators to investigate the Fox network, claiming that it is systematically violating the nation's indecency rules.
In its letter to FCC chairman Michael Powell, the groups complain that "Boston Public," the David E. Kelley Fox drama that revolves around a high school teachers, has gone way too far in its depiction of sexual activity.
"It is our view that shows like 'Boston Public' and its ilk do not belong in primetime when any child in America can see them," the groups wrote in their letter dated Tuesday.
The groups cited story lines in the show that have included a female candidate for class president performing oral sex on a male opponent in exchange for his support, a student earning extra cash by working as a stripper and a prolonged affair between a teacher and a student.
<hr></blockquote>
Apparently they don't object to good old-fashioned American violence.
Personally I find David E. Kelley's work bombastic and pretentious but I don't think that's ground for government intervention. If these groups don't like what's on their TV they can turn it off. Or boycott advertisers etc.
[quote] coalition of Christian and conservative groups is calling on federal regulators to investigate the Fox network, claiming that it is systematically violating the nation's indecency rules.
In its letter to FCC chairman Michael Powell, the groups complain that "Boston Public," the David E. Kelley Fox drama that revolves around a high school teachers, has gone way too far in its depiction of sexual activity.
"It is our view that shows like 'Boston Public' and its ilk do not belong in primetime when any child in America can see them," the groups wrote in their letter dated Tuesday.
The groups cited story lines in the show that have included a female candidate for class president performing oral sex on a male opponent in exchange for his support, a student earning extra cash by working as a stripper and a prolonged affair between a teacher and a student.
<hr></blockquote>
Apparently they don't object to good old-fashioned American violence.
Personally I find David E. Kelley's work bombastic and pretentious but I don't think that's ground for government intervention. If these groups don't like what's on their TV they can turn it off. Or boycott advertisers etc.
Comments
<strong>FOXnews is more conservative than the others.</strong><hr></blockquote>
It's difficult to take seriously a "news" channel that employs Bill O'Reilly and Geraldo Rivera.
<strong>I'm so sick of these losers complaining about what's on tv. Don't watch it if you don't like it. I personally think religion is about the most indecent thing there is, but if someone wants to watch the 700 club I could really give a ****.</strong><hr></blockquote>
[quote]Originally posted by Outsider:
<strong>Anyway when ever i hear about too much sex and violence on TV I think about the SouthPark movie's most valuable lesson about hypocritical orginazations out to change everything because it doesn't fit into their life agenda.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Maybe people bitch about what's on TV because they care about their culture.
<strong>
Maybe people bitch about what's on TV because they care about their culture.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Or maybe they bitch about what's on TV because it mostly sucks. Who ever thought Tony Danza was funny.
<strong>
It's difficult to take seriously a "news" channel that employs Bill O'Reilly and Geraldo Rivera.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I like Fox News. All of the news stations are pretty similar to me, but when I watch Fox news I don't have to look and Microsoft logos and I don't have to contribute to Ted Turner, who I think is a bumbling idiot.
I wanna be free to watch as much or as little filth, violence and sex as I want. I'm sick of movies being cut down to make them, gosh it used to be R, but now they're getting cut down to make them PG13. I'm sick of seeing black bars on the Howard Stern Show, I'm sick of cuss words being bleeped or changed. I can't even watch movies on TBS, USA etc. because it irritates me so much that they gut the movies.
[ 02-07-2002: Message edited by: Robertp ]</p>
and further more why aren't the concerned parents taking control of the home television? They complain that kids will see sex and so forth during prime time veiwing hours...so why are the CONCERNED parents not regulating their kids? If they were they would not have a complaint now would they...again let's take INDIVIDUAL responsibility here folks and keep tabs on our own home..then you won;t have time to worry about what someone else is doing.
---I'm sick of Howard stearn... and this crap goes for American 'culture'?!?!?! This stuff is one reason people hate 'America' . . .because they see this stuff as our biggest export (and McDonalds) and they make the mistake that this is American culture.
I think the conservatives shouldn't waste their time, its one of the negative side effects of a free country : namely that what sells will eventualy become the standard, not what is good, or quality, or thoughtful. . . .therefore we have crappy television that panders to the easiest of interests: sex and violence are easier than physics or philosophy!!
I have been struck with the incredible over reliance on sex as a major plot device on so many new sit-coms: it just is awful. It reduces something really powerfull and mysterious in our lives to this stupid scrabbling for a cheap laugh. And, it really does make sex cheap . . (though not 'cheap' in a sexy sort of way...if ya know what I mean) it makes it meaningless.
So many of these stupid shows throw the word sex around and off-hand suggestive descriptions of the act that it really no longer has anything to do with sex . . . I can imagine that to imprssionable minds (and aren't we all) this constant barrage of stupid guffawing sex jokes would turn our relationship to the deepest parts of ourselves into nothing but a joke . . .
still I am against any moralizing censorship.
[ 02-09-2002: Message edited by: pfflam ]</p>
William Blake:
"and they became what they beheld"
<strong>Adding to above rant..
and further more why aren't the concerned parents taking control of the home television?
...
again let's take INDIVIDUAL responsibility here folks and keep tabs on our own home..</strong><hr></blockquote>
Gimme a break. You can't watch your kids every second - you wouldn't want to treat them like that even if you could. You want them to be on their own.
You can pick up the trash in your own yard, but if there's trash in your neighborhood, you bitch at people for throwing it there.
At least let's have a debate about content, rather than just saying "if it's legal, it's OK."
And everyone always talks about individual responsibility - but what about Howard Stern, Jerry Springer, et al.? Are they not individuals, too? Do they not have responsibility for the crap that they make?
I am sure that at least 50% of this country older than 30 agrees with me and I am not conservative or religious. I'ver heard a thousand people say that there's nothing on TV or that everything is dumned down to the point of idiocy. So if 50% of Americans want television with at least a little bit of true entertainment value like we had in the 70s and early 80s, how come so little of it is being delivered? There is a DRASTIC diffeence between TV then and now.
The answer of course is that Hollywood is pretty close to being an oligopoly. There is competition but it is limited to the same old formulas for the most part. If you look at all the country music albums made today, the cover art of almost every single one is just a photograph of the singer or group. I've never seen this before in any genre of music and it's obvious that the Big Five all agreed to cut costs by not competing on the album cover.
So people have every right to be outraged that the crap on TV doesn't fit in with the world they want to live in or the way they want to raise their kids. But since our government, whether Republican or Democrat, basically lets big business do or destroy anything they want, concerned CITIZENS have an obligation to simply stop giving their money to the corporations who pollute our society and our ethics. But of course Americans talk really big, but when it comes making a real sacrifice you know it's not going to happen. So me and other people who still care are cheated out of the entertainment a competitive market would give us.
And American "freedom" does not mean that anyone should be able to set any television to Jerry Springer that they want. If you want to watch that garbage in your house, you may technically have the right to. But when I'm eating lunch in a pizza place I shouldn't have to hear idiots yelling at each other. I've seen shows where a 19 year old girl says they have been dating someone 20 years older than them since they were 13. Now this is simply child molestation and I should not have to hear about that and even worse hear other fools make jokes or even blame the girl about it. Just because YOU are a lowlife and you don't mind desensitizing yourself to other people's tragedy so you can get your shits and giggles doesn't mean I have to.
And in my own damn country (which I don't feel it is anymore) I shouldn't have to avoid this pizza place or that Blimpie because I know there may be a TV playing stuff that bothers me. I shouldn't have to ask someone if I can change the channel. This is very awkward.
When I was a teenager, you had respect for the way other people wanted to live. When an older person got on the bus you and your friends quieted down and certainly didn't curse because you knew that adults didn't want to hear that. Me and my friends went out of our way to be reasonable to those around us. But now I have to hear Sally Jesse making jokes about Whitney Houston's crack addiction while I'm eating. This is NOT freedom. This is the complete and total abuse and disrespect for the freedoms that we have been given.
[ 02-09-2002: Message edited by: spindler ]</p>
ohhh! you must mean Columbo
. . .other than that its pretty much always been bad.
There are two views I am seeing. It's a free country, don't tell me how to live my life! To those I say, "it's a free country, don't tell me what to say or not to say."" works both ways. If you don't like waht someone has to say, you have the option to stop reading or listening. Same as us having the choice to change the cahnnel. So why are you still here? Curiosity? Train wreck mentatlity? (it's gonna be bad but I can't stop looking...) Same for TV.
The other view is pretty much where I am. Why can;t they put programs on TV that are more wholesome and leave the trash for later at night, cable, or pay per view? that way it is a choice to see it mostly and not an accident that your children happened to see it when you were in the toilet or something.
There is no easy answer, but the former response is simply not cutting it. And the latter is just not too popular with the TV folks. what to do?