A new survey of more than 4,000 television viewers finds that 1) more than one-third of them have seen programming they consider "personally offensive or morally objectionable," and that they associate such programming more with broadcast networks than with cable channels; 2) adults without children at home are offended by shows almost as often as are parents with children; and 3) a clear majority of adults with children ages 2 through 11 try to set aside time for family TV viewing. The study, issued by a division of the giant ad agency McCann-Erickson, was the idea of Bill Cella, an... continue reading
George W. Bush had constructed his campaign on puffy clouds of compassionate conservatism, love-bombing reporters with the insistence that he has no side in the bitter, partisan debate in Washington. But those clouds broke on Labor Day when mikes caught Dubya comparing New York Times reporter Adam Clymer to a, ahem, rectum. Predictably, so many in the media are now waving their hankies in near-fainting disbelief. The hypocrisy of the press is boundless. Start with Bryant Gumbel, who declared on CBS that "Bush may have taken yet another step backwards by sticking his foot in his mouth with a vulgar... continue reading
"Survivor" has by no means gone away, not with CBS airing reruns opposite the Olympics and the sequel premiering right after the Super Bowl. But it's highly unlikely that the program or any of its cast members, past or future, will ever again saturate the media to the extent that they have this summer. Good news, right? Not so fast. The outcome of the networks' ongoing reality-show rampage may soon have viewers longing for another glimpse of "Survivor" champ Richard's pixilated private parts. If what is in the works is the best the Hollywood creative community can do, let us... continue reading
The news is in: CNN/USA President Rick Kaplan is out. Allow me to explain why this is not a time for my fellow conservatives to pop those champagne corks. The numbers tell a story of a network in serious trouble. When Rick Kaplan began at CNN in the fall of 1997, CNN enjoyed a daily audience of 463,000 viewers. That number has fallen steadily since that time; today it stands at 288,000, a 36% drop. Worse still, its prime-time audience during this time period fell 47%. It's a free-fall with no end in sight. Clearly something had to change, especially... continue reading
Our frisky soon-to-be-former president can make all the overseas trips he wants, but he won't be able to shake what will be his legacy: he sullied his office and, more than any other person in American history, did more to rob impressionable children of their innocence. Let's face it: What was once topic material reserved for adults is now ingrained in the popular culture, with children. And the entertainment industry, the most influential force in popular culture, is having a field day promoting this now-acceptable child sleaze. The evidence is everywhere. The Teen Choice Awards, which aired August 22 on... continue reading
At the start of each party's convention this year, a study was released charging the media have favored George W. Bush over Al Gore so far in Campaign 2000. In each case, the same press which ignore any study, finding, or poll suggesting a liberal bias jumped all over the results. To be sure, the organizations performing these studies are no left-wing Democrat mau-mauers, though I question the unequivocal "nonpartisan" label being placed on one group headed by a former media reporter from the Los Angeles Times. Simply judge these studies by whether they prove what they claim, and you'll... continue reading
In 1992, the national media turned the Republican convention in Houston into a "Feast of Hate and Fear," a week-long nightmare featuring "scowling conservatives" like Pat Robertson, Pat Buchanan, and Marilyn Quayle. The Republicans reacted by putting on two subsequent conventions which labored to minimize purveyors of troublesome "red meat" for right-wingers. But the ideological tilt of the Democrats convening with Al Gore in Los Angeles makes the Houston Republicans look like a meeting of the Peace Corps. Perhaps out of panic over potential defections to radical leftist Ralph Nader, the podium in Los Angeles tilted so hard to the... continue reading
The cover of the August 11 Entertainment Weekly blared, "Are There No Limits? Filth, Raunch, Violence & Hate Rule Pop Culture - Has Showbiz Finally Gone Too Far?" Sure, showbiz went too far a long time ago, but it's always good to see someone in the cultural mainstream acknowledge this, even if it's a few years late. But then you read the piece - and groan. Lisa Schwarzbaum's article reeks of Establishment media elitism. The answer to the cover's question is basically: Maybe, but it's not that big a deal. The piece has two huge flaws. First is Schwarzbaum's bias,... continue reading
Reporters have been comparing the two major vice presidential nominees and noticing their similarities. Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman are both experienced, sober, dignified, free of Clintonian sex appeal. But the media coverage is oh so different. Dick Cheney is a conservative, and that's bad. Joe Lieberman is a conservative, and that's good. Does that make sense? No, but that's what someone left in a room with only media coverage to guide him might conclude. As a congressman, Dick Cheney's American Conservative Union rating was a 90. That, according to the media glossary, makes him "hard right," or "far right"... continue reading
It tells you just how low society's standards have fallen when approximately seventeen million people can be found glued to a TV set for four hours over six days watching a houseful of people...talking. Such is the allure of CBS's putrid reality series "Big Brother." I'm not sure how the contestants for "Big Brother" were chosen, but a propensity for potty language and uninhibited sex chat must have been high on the producers' checklist. Some background for those of you lucky enough to be ignorant of this show: In the July 5 premiere, ten persons moved into a house on... continue reading