Rating Of The Show example essay topic

Censorship has recently been brought to the American public television in two different ways. One being $1 billion in airtime purchased by the Office for National Drug Control and the other method being through a small chip inside all new television sets. In 1997, congress approved a $1 billion plan by the Office for National Drug Control to buy Network advertising time at a reduced rate. (Forbes 1) This is a five-year plan that legally requires any network that participates a dollar-for-dollar match for each spot purchased by the government by carrying public service ads by nonprofit groups working with the National Drug Control Policy (N DCP).

(Kurtz, Waxman 1) This policy was made attractive to networks by offering credits to those networks that aired television shows that involved so-called "negative-influence" on drugs. The credits enabled the networks to resell the slots that have already been paid for by the government to advertisers. Some of the shows that earned these credits are "ER", "Chicago Hope", "Beverly Hills 90210", "Touched by an Angel", "The Cosby Show", "Home Improvement", "7th Heaven", "The Drew Carey Show", and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch". This attempt at censorship by the government is simply ridiculous. Not only are they bribing the networks to air government controlled T.V. shows but they are also selling back slots that are already paid for by American tax dollars to the networks whose purpose was to inform the public of drugs! "Sneaking" the governments' messages into popular T.V. shows isn't going to solve the Americas' drug problem or make a show better.

I would much rather see networks airing anti-drug ads on their own. I would also rather see a writer's true story rather than a government interfered version. The following quote by a spokesperson for the drug control office, Robert Weiner, shows a pathetic attempt to persuade censorship: "We " re very proud of the accomplishments of the campaign... We plead guilty to using every lawful means to save America's children".

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 implements the use of technology by using a computer chip called the v-chip installed into T.V. set to censor incoming programs being brought to our homes. According to FCC rule, the v-chip must be installed in all new television sets made after January 1,200. The v-chip is set up to work with a rating system established by the National Association of Broadcasters. The first 15 seconds when a television shows airs, the rating of the show is encoded and sent through the v-chip. If the v-chip is set up to allow that certain rating to be viewed then the show is seen. If the rating is not in acceptable range then the show is unable to be viewed through that television set.

This seemed like a great idea to Bill Clinton who held this chip proudly as a symbol of philosopher stone for the electronic age. (Burke 1) Not all Americans have embraced the v-chip as expected. Some of the problems of the v-chip are that the users say it's too hard to use; it's inconvenient for an adult who want to watch blocked programs; it's too expensive for some to buy new televisions; the rating system may pass some shows that have material that parents do not agree with; and even thoughts of networks using it as a means to show more violent and sexually filled programs. The birth of the v-chip is a great tool for parents who complain about public television and can now be at ease that their children will not see most shows they deem unacceptable. For those who complain its too inconvenient can really be called lazy and yes it is possible for shows to have content parents feel is unacceptable. And I doubt networks using the v-chip as a reason to insert more sex and violence into their shows, I believe this is just a conservative parents stab at the thought they are ultimately responsible for their children's viewing habits.

Also, no one is forcing anyone to buy a new television set. Although I do agree these can be legitimate problems, Americans need to understand this is a tool to help parents who want to censor shows being seen by their children and not an answer. The v-chip can be as great as the effort put into using it. These are just two of the many efforts of censorship of American television. As I looked carefully into both of these attempts, I can see when it came to drugs, the government plays a more active role in censorship. But trying to buy their way into network television in order to place government ideas into our favorite shows is not the way to go.

Americans cannot also depend on the government to stop television from airing programs considered offensive to some. This would interfere with the first amendment. We need to understand that television is a useful tool used to entertain and to educate. Also that not all Americans have the same thoughts and beliefs, is that not what makes us Americans? Censorship is not the answer to our problems. If we do not know that a problem exists then how are we to solve it?

Education is the answer.

Bibliography

Brian Burke. "The Moral and Political Significance of the V-Chip". Center for Educational Properties. March 1997.
24 May 2003 "Drug Policy".
Freedom Network. 2002.
13 May 2003 Howard Kurtz and Sharon Waxman.
White House Cut Anti-Drug Deal with TV". Washington Post. 14 January 2000.
13 May 2003 "V-Chip: Viewing Television Responsibly".
FCC. 4 March 2002.
24 May 2003.