Need??? Sorry, but I have to weigh in on this. I’ve got two children who would just LOVE to have televisions in their rooms. They even ask for them on a regular basis, and I say no just as regularly. We did break down and allow Santa to bring them a Nintendo (gaining critical distance by not officially buying it for them), but that’s hooked up to the only TV in the house, in the living room. I don’t think that incessant videogame playing is any more beneficial to my children than incessant television watching, and that’s the most efficient way for me to monitor it. They’ve got a very long way to go to convince me that they need personal television sets.
I don’t think I’m that strict a parent. I let my kids do many things my peers frown on (including watch “The Simpsons”), I let them eat junk food, and we discuss topics many parents won’t talk about. I don’t find it difficult to monitor my kids’ television watching because I’ve made it easy. I’ve also seen a lot more episodes of Rugrats and Hey, Arnold than I ever really wanted to, not to mention all those nature shows.
I’m with Jodi on the “think for yourself” angle. I think it’s fine to get information about shows from websites or reviews, but as with everything, it’s important to be aware of the agenda of the reviewer. The bottom line for me, though, is that most of what’s on TV is crap, regardless of how “appropriate” it may be. I’m not going to sit through a show like “Seventh Heaven.” Even if its message is inoffensive or “positive,” the show itself still sucks at least as much as most of the “inappropriate” ones. This is why I’ve familiarized myself with the “on/off selector switch” feature on our TV and provided the family with a healthy supply of books.
IMHO, since he or she became a parent. Go to a web site, talk to your friends, read the reviews, but in the end make sure you know what your kid is watching.
I don’t have any kids yet, and no, I don’t really know exactly what it’s like to be a parent today. But my parents had the time to do this for me, my friends have the time to do it for their kids, and I would rather throw the TV out when I realize I don’t know what my child is watching. This is just my opinion, but I’ll be damned if I change my mind on this one.
I just realized I sound like I would only let my kids watch 7th Heaven and junk like that. I doubt I’d be really strict about things like this, since I intend to watch with them and I can explain something if it’s needed.
SODA, there is a difference between knowing what your kids are watching and availing yourself of other resources (like others’ opinions, and reviews) to determine whether what they are watching is appropriate. These are not mutually exculsive, either; a parent can do both. There is also a difference between knowing what your kids are watching and watching every single episode or movie yourself. Sometimes that isn’t necessary, anyway. I don’t have kids, but if I did, I would not have to watch any show aired by PBS and aimed at kids to know it would be appropriate. Similarly, I would not have to watch any show aired on Cinemax after midnight to know that it would not be. And if I was confronted by a show (or, more likely, a movie) that my kids wanted to see but I did not, I would feel perfectly justified in trolling around on the Web to find out what the movie is about and whether or not it’s appropriate in my opinion for my kids to see. I have never said that finding out additional information from the Web means that parents are justified in not knowing what their kids are watching. (Which, when you think about it, doesn’t really make sense anyway; if you don’t know what your kids are watching, how do you know what to look up?)
Yeah, me too, but then I never said a Web site should be a total susbstitute for parental guidance, just that I think it would be a perfectly fine resource for like-minded parents.
And I’m with you, INTERNETLEGEND, I think most TV sucks anyway. The only things I personally even try to make a point to watch are West Wing and Antiques Roadshow (God, I’m so boring). When I was a kid, we were not allowed to watch TV at all on weeknights. I admit that my parents didn’t police our viewing on weekends, but since we only had about a half-dozen channels, they didn’t have as much to worry about as parents do today.
Do you think that the view the PTC has of what is apropriate is skewed somewhat? They cite several examples of teen dramas, and complain they are unsuitable for kids (I’m not sure of their definition of kids, if they mean pre-teens then I agree - but unsuitable for teens? hello?!)
I totally agree about using your resources, but do you trust the PTC?
Yes, but then I’m not the squeaky-clean, let’s-see-what-our-pastor-says-before-we-have-an-independent-thought type of Christian. And I would say that they seem rather moderate compared to other sites; they’re not complaining about how Sabrina The Teen-Aged Witch promotes Satanism, for example.
Well, my assumption was that they didn’t think they were appropriate for kids and pre-teens.
Nah. While I might take thier opinion into consideration when making a decision, I wouldn’t rely on it alone. And as I’ve already said, some of the stuff they consider “objectionable” I thought was pretty amusing. But then I don’t have kids, so the question’s an academic one for me.
You can put a TV in a child’s room for use with a games console without connecting up an Arial for television reception.
I will agree that it is impossible to monitor every programme that is on, but on the other hand, the PTC have taken it upon themselves to have programmes they deem offensive removed from the air completely by targetting the advertisers.
After all, it is they that puts those “Television is leading America’s Children down a moral Sledgepool” adverts featuring Steve Allen in newspapers.
How many of you here even have kids? I guess you also realize that these people, the PTC, are entitled to their opinions just as you are. They are also not doing anything illegal when they boycott, write their congressmen or protest. That is their right as Americans and consumers.
My teenage daughter used to watch Buffy in the first season or two, now she’s lost interest. I didn’t find the program terribly inappropriate at the time. However, her brother couldn’t stand to watch it, it scared the shit out of him. He’s 7 years younger. Yes, age can make a difference.
I see nothing wrong with using whatever means necessary to gather information about what your children are consuming, be it television, movies or video games.
My sister’s children do not watch MTV. They have the station blocked. Every parent should have the right to make these choices. It might not be distrubing to have to explain homosexual or even heterosexual jokes and inuendos to a 10 or 11 year old but you might want to put off having to explain these things to your kindergartener.
Thankfully my son prefers to watch Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. He isn’t even interested in more adult or teen oriented programs on the other stations. But I can understand how it might be frustrating to a parent that doesn’t have access to cable or satellite television.
So you don’t agree with these people, to bad! They are still entitled to their opinion. It isn’t like any of the programs they listed are Masterpiece Theater anyway, most of it is crapola anyway. So is some of the stuff on their good list. Touched by an Angel makes me want to gag, it’s enough to send you into sugar shock.
Yes, they are entitled to their opinion. No, they shouldn’t be restricted from displaying their opinion.
But they are trying to restrict my right to watch what I want to watch? Yes, a programme might be unsuitable for children, but its not aimed at children!! its not like Teletubbie porn!!!
I agree that Wrestling can be inappropriate for impressionable children to watch. Simple solution. Don’t let your children watch it. Many other parents are happy to let their children watch it once they have explained what they are looking at, and want to answer any questions that their children may have about the programme.
Providing a resource for parents to be informed about the content of programmes is a good thing.
Providing a biased resource based on a small group of people’s opinions on what is and isn’t suitable for other people’s kids is not a good thing. Get my drift?
The same might be said for hard-core porn or extreme violence, but I don’t hear anyone arguing that it ought be aired on Saturday mornings. The fact is that given that television is extensively marketed towards children, I don’t personally think it is unreasonable to expect the networks to exercise a little common sense in what they air and when they air it. And I think parents have every right to object to things they believe are inappropriate and to lobby to have those things changed and/or removed. You may not agree with them, but then there is nothing to stop YOU from writing a letter to say how much you enjoy a network’s programming as is, and that they should keep up the good work. Everybody gets a voice; everybody gets to use it. If you don’t agree with what these people are saying then ignore it; if you think they are doing some damage, work against it. I’m sure the people underwriting the site think it is “a good thing,” and they have as much right to their opinion as you do to yours.
Yeah I get your drift but get this…where is the appropriate for children programing on regular televison? It’s almost non-exsistant. I believe the networks have Sabrina and a couple of things on Fridays but where is this programing the other 6 days a week? Isn’t there enough adult oriented sitcoms on network these days? Don’t you guys have your belly full of Friends, Will and Grace, and Just Shoot Me? I can’t think of a single so called family oriented show the likes of Family Ties, Who’s the Boss, or even the Nanny that is running on any of the networks during prime time.
It appears that many networks have abandoned programing for young people. They’ve decided to ignore the younger or “family oriented” market in favor of the young adult. I suppose they think that Disney and Nickelodeon along with syndication of the older shows on cable network has the market covered.
I’m not necessarily defending censorship, I’m not doing that at all. I’m simply suggesting that some people might have a point when they say that evening programing for the most part is not for kids. And I can’t understand why not? Kids can be a large market audience. Sponsors must know that.
Thank you, Jeff, for the link to the ChildCare Action Project. I think the best was the review of Dogma in which flatulence was listed as a reason under “Impudence/Hate” to not see the movie. Because everyone knows farting is an inexcusable act for a True Christian.
As I mentioned in a thread in GD, the CAP Alerts site ( http://www.capalert.com ) is one of the great comedy sites of all time. Check on the reviews of Muppets from Space and some other chldren’s films that you thought were totally harmless.
Now, it’s true that PTC has the right to legally try to shut down shows that they don’t like. It’s also true that we have the right to describe them as dangerous and disturbing, especially since much of their propaganda is aimed not at shows with offensive content, but rather at shows that they disagree with for political reasons.
What I thought was funny about CAPalert is that they feel they must clarify right on their home page that they are not affiliated with Westboro Baptist or Landover Baptist. Westboro is Fred Phelps and his hate-filled invectiove; Landover is a parody site (very funny too, if you haven’t seen it).
The fact that they have to explain they’re not affiliated with either indicates to me that a many people coming to the site must be total idiots.
Parts of the CAP are scary, though. For example, they have a list of symbols which they claim to be related to Satanism. It includes the Star of David (Judiasm), Moon and Star (Islam), and Yin and Yang (Taoism). Apparently, for them, Christianity and Satan-worship are the only known religions.
From their review of Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me (or as they put it, “Austin Powers: The Spy who ------- Me” to avoid offending the sensibilities of their British viewers):
(I wonder what Dr. Burthoft of Focus on the Family claims the act is known as when done by heterosexuals?)
Other amusing tidbits: Erin Brockovich is described as “Julia has become potty-mouthed.” And in reviewing The Birdcage, the author could not complete his review because: “After 25 minutes of the show I had one and a half recording logs of homosexual suggestions and activities.”
I still think they should have done La Cage as La Cage. I’d have paid good money to hear Nathan Lane sing “I Am What I Am” and Robin Williams sing “Masculinity”.
