I am sick to death of inappropriate commercials popping up during family or kids programing.
Here's the thing - We're a captive audience during commercials. I shouldn't have to spend so much time hollering "Ainsley close your eyes!" while watching television.
The FCC is a literal joke. They will take zero action ever. Well, they'll fine Janet Jackson for someone else ripping off her top on national television - but that's it.
In a letter responding to my complaint of a commercial of violence of a sexual nature so disgusting it turned my stomach the FCC responded that "each network was responsible for the content of their own commercials."
Essentially the government agency we've assigned to make sure nothing lewd gets shot across the airwaves to pollute my or my children's brain has decided the entertainment industry is allowed to show whatever they like during commercials.
Who made that stupid rule?
That's got to change. Which brings us to a group, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which is trying to take action with the film industry which seems to violate age-appropriate whenever possible.
From the press release: Led by CCFC, a coalition of twenty-one advocacy groups is demanding that the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) comply with the Federal Trade Commission's recent recommendation for explicit restrictions on the marketing of PG-13 films to young children. In a letter sent last week to MPAA CEO Dan Glickman, CCFC urged the MPAA to develop a policy that would restrict the advertising of PG-13 films on children's television; prohibit restaurant toy giveaways or other food promotions aimed at young children for PG-13 movies; and insure that any toys released in conjunction with a film carry an age recommendation consistent with the film's rating.
This past summer, CCFC filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission that Transformers - rated PG-13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor, and language - was being marketed extensively to preschool children through television advertising, food promotions and licensed toys. Last week, the FTC acted on CCFC's complaint by urging the MPAA to adopt guidelines for the marketing of PG-13 movies.
“Transformers is just one of a string of violent, PG-13 movies marketed to preschoolers,” said CCFC’s co-founder and director, Dr. Susan Linn. “For too long, the film industry has undermined its own rating system by bypassing parents to target young children directly with marketing for films that the industry itself has determined warrant parental caution.”
“Transformers is just one of a string of violent, PG-13 movies marketed to preschoolers,” said CCFC’s co-founder and director, Dr. Susan Linn. “For too long, the film industry has undermined its own rating system by bypassing parents to target young children directly with marketing for films that the industry itself has determined warrant parental caution.”
It's enough already. The CCFC does not accept corporate funding, but relies on donations if you're looking for a worthy cuase.
For more on my experience with the FCC read Misogynistic Violence for Breakfast.
3 comments:
Not only do I not want kids to see this crap, I don't want to see it either. I think I have that sickening commercial for Vacancy burned in my brain forever.
I hear you, sister. When you child has nightmares (heck, I even have nightmares) from the ads shown during afternoon programming (especially the promos for the stations own shows) it is time to get serious.
Yes, we could turn the TV off - but why should we have to when the stations could just chose to use common sense, when the public could just chose to step up and say "enough".
I totally agree with both of you. I do not want to see rape and death and murder and mayhem any more than my kids want to see. It's generally of a sexual and woman-hating nature.
I'm sick of it. We should stop putting up with it. That Vacancy commercial is burned into my brain too and it makes me livid that they played it on public airwaves.
What I don't get is how they can rate a movie R due to graphic violence and then show that exact scene on a commercial during Everybody Loves Raymond or VH1s morning videos.
That violates my brain.
And there's not enough time to find the remote and turn the TV most of the time. By the time you've figured out what's going on - it's too late. They play the most graphic horror in 30 seconds. Why should they be allowed to do it?
That's not free speech - it's brain rape!
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