Who or what is the real sexual predator today? Who really stalks little girls all day, everyday? It is television. Who hasn’t seen adult sexual inference and extreme animated imagery targeting children on TV? How can content like this get broadcast into every home? In a ‘free” media market, money rules regardless of who it hurts, even if it means exploiting our most vulnerable.
Big media considers itself proactive in regard to community service. By airing PSA’s broadcasters feel they are doing honorable work by informing the public. However, as usual, these two advertisements from Comcast and the Ad Council conveniently neglect to mention that TV content, like some cartoons, can "stalk" children in equally dangerous ways - and more frequently.
Networks blatantly defy, circumvent, and ignore existing governmental guidelines including those that outline content suitable for children, and at what times of the day that content can be aired. They disregard realities of unchaperoned viewing throughout the day, and time shifting. Certainly no one can believe these pathetic "parental warnings" do any good. Plus, in public, the networks oversimplify and obfuscate dangers with illogical comparisons. There is an obvious difference between an anvil dropped on a coyote’s head and a “princess” pulling up her dress to expose her genitalia. FCC crimes are committed at every turn, but our “police” look the other way... as big media gets richer.
Sexual and violent content that objectifies girls is promoted everywhere. Everyone knows it, acknowledges it, and watches it. Televison, visually exploits girls at every turn, even if it is packaged as phony news. Is any of this entertaining? Ultimately, viewers swim in an immersive environment of visual, sexual distortion that is continually ratcheted upward to more extremes… BUT, we are also choosing to watch.
One small way to inoculate yourself from the avalanche of sex and violence is to consider media and visual literacy communication and grow your own, mash-ups. Try it. Click to see just one small example.
05/04/07