Bleeping Mad

The Parents Television Council says the so-called "Family Hour" (8-9 p.m.) is not fit for families, with violence and sex and swearing up dramatically in the last five years.

I undertand where they are coming from–I have my own issues with TV violence, for example–I’m just not coming from the same place. But even if I were, I think it is pushing it a lot to count blurred and bleeped content against broadcasters where it is not possible to determine what word or part is being obscured.

In its just-released study of prime time broadcast network fare, which comes off as full of sex and swearing and violence, PTC counts bleeps that are obvious from context, "bleep you," that sort of thing. but also what it describes as "words that were bleeped but could not be definitively determined by context" or even by lip-reading.

Then there is surgery defined as "medical violence." OK, autopsies I can see, but "surgeries?" So much for the Hypocratic oath if surgeries are violence by default.

As much as I am concerned by the degree to which PTC seems to be able to affect the policy debate in government over what I should be allowed to see and hear, I don’t fault them for speaking out against what they believe is bad for their kids. But it is pushing the argument, and weakening it, I think, to paint with such a broad brush.

But, hey, maybe it’s just me.