Not too long ago, a common question in most families was, “What’s on TV tonight?”
Times change though, and many families — especially those who profess to be Christians — now find themselves asking instead, “What’s on TV that’s fit to watch?”
Gone are idealistic families like the Cleavers and the Cartwrights, values of a small town like Mayberry or the professionalism of Marcus Welby and Perry Mason. In their place are programs that contain foul language, nudity, sex and violence and promote the homosexual agenda.
But several groups are working to help families determine what programs do not have objectionable material. One of the most prominent is the Parents Television Council (PTC).
The PTC Web site, www.parentstv.org, includes a family guide that lists prime-time programming for each night on the four major television networks — ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox — along with UPN, WB and Pax.
Visitors can click onto a specific program, where they will find information about the program, along with a ratings system. Shows are rated based on the amount of sex, language and violence, along with the program’s overall rating.
Each rating includes a red, yellow or green light, with the PTC using the following guidelines:
Red light: “Show may include gratuitous sex, explicit dialogue, violent content or obscene language and is unsuitable for children.”
Yellow light: “The shows contain adult-oriented themes and dialogue may be inappropriate for youngsters.”
Green light: “Family-friendly shows promoting responsible themes and traditional values.”
Monthly advice
A monthly newsletter published by Focus on the Family, Plugged In, offers a guide for parents about what is on television, along with the content of movies, videos and music. Publishers said the eight-page publication includes brief descriptions of television programs. In addition, Plugged In analyzes a specific program each month.
Reviewer Steve Isaac said he points out positive qualities in the shows.
“Our primary goal is to open communications between parents and their teens,” Isaac said, “and to do that, parents need to be aware of what their teens are interested in. Parents can then teach critical thinking as their teens approach popular culture.”
He said it is fine if Plugged In doubles as a guide for appropriate fare, but notes it is incidental.
“We don’t like to tell people you should or shouldn’t do this,’” Isaac said. “We want to give the positive and negative and leave it there. Parents should discuss it and make decisions based on their own conscience.”
Isaac said a one-year subscription costs $20 and is available by writing Focus on the Family, Plugged In, Colorado Springs, CO 80995 or by calling 1-800-232-6459.
The monthly American Family Association (AFA) Journal not only reviews television programs for objectionable contents but also encourages parents to contact sponsors of programs they find objectionable.
“We’re very activist-oriented,” said editor Randall Murphree. “It’s something we’ve incorporated into our work from the early years.”
Reviews, which can be found at the AFA Web site at www.afa.net, identify the advertisers of each program, with an “Action Index” that lists each advertiser’s parent corporation, CEO, address and phone number and other products offered by that company.
Reviews address shows’ inclusion of everything from violence and profanity to anti-Christian comments, promotion of homosexuality, sex and drug use.
A one-year subscription to AFA Journal is available for $15 by writing P.O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo, MS 38803, calling (601) 844-5036 or visiting the AFA Web site.
Although more secular in nature, TV Guide offers a weekly listing of programs that are family friendly. Available both in the magazine and via the Internet at tvguide.com/family, the listing includes a rundown of programs containing no objectionable material, ranging from movies such as “Mary Poppins” on pay television to repeats of family programming such as “Little House on the Prairie” and “The Cosby Show” on cable.
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