 |
|
|
|
|
|
| FEATURE ARTICLES |
|
|
|
Casting Crowns
by Ryan T. Richardson
Read... |
|
Why is the World Consuming the Church?
by Christian Stonehouse
Read... |
|
Out of Hate
by Quinn McFarlane
Read... |
|
7 Effective Ways to Share Your Faith In One Week
by Andrew Chamberlin
Read... |
|
Modern Discipleship (Being a Disciple In the Modern Day)
by Justin Taylor
Read... |
|
Media Mess
by David Chipp-Smith
Read... |
|
Tooth and Nail Concert Review
by Justin Taylor
Read... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| COMMENTARIES |
|
|
|
Viva La Revolucion
by Ryan T. Richardson
Read... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Media Mess
by David Chipp-Smith
All you have to do is turn on the television and watch the networks to see
what the state of television is these days. From the now infamous Super
Bowl Half-Time Show to the various award shows, Hollywood continues to
push the envelope when it comes to language and decency in the media.
What is the most surprising is the large increase in questionable language
that has seemed to creep into network shows especially during what is
known as the family hour which is between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm.
According to a study released by the Parents Television
Council in September 2003, Adult language during the
Family Hour increased by 94.8% between 1998 and 2002
and by 109.1% during the 9 p.m. ET/PT time slot! (www.parentstv.org)
This does not even include the rash of language that
has occurred during live awards shows. During the Billboard
Music Awards on December 10, 2003, Nicole Richie said
the S-word and the F-word in what appeared to be staged
comments that she was reading from the teleprompter.
During the 2003 Golden Globe Awards, U2’s lead singer
Bono used the F-word in his acceptance speech.
More and more Hollywood continues to push the envelope. Look at NYPD Blue.
The language that is being used in that show has reached unbelievably new
lows. The NBC show ER reconsidered their decision to show a woman’s bare
breast in a February broadcast due to the Janet Jackson fallout, but were
planning to show this on regular network television before the controversy.
But none of this compares to the language and gross indecency that
comes over the Canadian air-waves. After 9:00 pm, the Canadian
Radio-Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) allows nudity and the use of
foul language. I was watching a movie on CTV at 8:30 pm one night and
to my horror the F-word was heard 3 times in approximately 2 minutes.
Upon contacting both CTV and the CRTC to lodge a complaint, I was told
that although the word should have been deleted from the broadcast
before 9:00 pm, after that time they were not under any obligation to
censor any language or nudity. When asked why, they stated that the
Canadian public as a whole did not object to language being broadcast
after 9:00 pm. How do they know that? What they said next shocked me.
“We base this on the amount of complaints that we receive when such
incidents occur. When a very small amount of complaints are received,
it is assumed that not a lot people are concerned about it.”
What the CRTC and the Canadian networks take into account is the number
of complaints it receives. For example, the CRTC received a whopping 3
complaints (according to a press release issued by the CRTC) in regards
to the Super Bowl Half-Time show. Another 10 complaints were registered
in regards to the Labatts ad where two women were shown locked in a
steamy kiss. But CBC and the CRTC received an enormous amount of
complaints about a comment made by Don Cherry where he mentioned that
“Europeans and French-guys” were the only ones that wore visors while
playing hockey. Almost immediately Cherry was placed on a 7 second delay.
What is wrong with us as a society? Are we so politically correct that
someone’s opinion is more offensive than foul language?
|
 |
One thing I hear all the time was
‘what does it matter if my kids
are exposed to these things, after all won’t they be exposed to language
and other things outside of the home?’ It is important that we protect
the minds of our children. After all, they soak everything in. It gets
to the point that as we allow this stuff into our homes, we are basically
giving our children our stamp of approval.
|
It gets to the point that
as we allow this stuff into our homes, we are basically
giving our children our stamp of approval. By not stopping this stuff from entering
our homes, we are approving of it - by default. What does it do to us subliminally?
The more we hear foul language and the more we see these indecent acts on
the movies and on the television, the more we get desensitized to it. The
more it becomes common place. If we can be desensitized to it, what do you
think this will do to our children?
So what can we do about it?
First of all, as men, we need to stand up and make our voices heard. It is
very important to write to the CRTC in Canada (www.crtc.ca) and the FCC in
the U.S. (www.fcc.gov) to let them know that this type of television is
unacceptable. One website that keeps on top of this in the U.S. is
www.onemilliondads.com. It is a comprehensive site that is a great tool for
letting U.S. companies and the FCC know that television shows that push
the envelope will not be tolerated. Another one is the Parent’s Television
Council (www.parentstv.org).
Secondly, we need to monitor what our children are watching. Even the
'Family Friendly' shows are using God's name in vain several times an
episode. Do we want our kids to be subjected to that? After all, how can
look at our kids and tell them that foul language will not be accepted
in our home, yet we watch shows where God's name is taken in vain and
other questionable language is used - even during the so-called family
hour. Children, no matter what their age, will pick this up and what they
hear affects them. It affects a child subliminally.
|
 | A third option is to get a device like the TVGuardian.
It is a foul-language filter that limits the amount of language that
comes over the networks. Although it does not filter out live shows, it will significantly reduce language by 95% on both t.v. and the movies! You can check this product out at
www.myfamilymedia.ca. |
Another option as far as movies are concerned, you
can purchase movies that have objectionable material edited out from a
company called Clean Films. They ship throughout the U.S. and now ship
to Canada. For more information on this company and what they have to
offer, check them out on-line at www.cleanfilms.com.
One thing that is for sure, as the networks continue to see how far
they can push the envelope when it comes to foul language and indecency,
it is getting harder and harder to trust anything that comes over the
airwaves. As the Super Bowl Half-Time event showed, not even something
as innocent as a football game is immune.
David Chipp-Smith is the owner of Family Media, a company that specializes
in media related filtering devices for the television and the internet.
For more information on the products that Family Media provides, check
them out on-line at www.myfamilymedia.ca.
|
|
|
|
|
