Conservative activist Brent Bozell's Parents Television Council has launched a campaign to urge advertisers to drop sponsorship of the FX cable network hit, The Shield, which it said, "depicts the most explicit sexual content and nudity, obscene language, and graphic violence imaginable." The PTC pointed out that FX airs on basic cable, "which means that if you have a cable subscription so your children can watch The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon or The History Channel, there's a good chance they could have stumbled across this horrific content by mistake." The PTC urged members "to send a loud-and-clear message to FX and the show's sponsors that we're not going away until they either get rid of the obscene filth on this show, or stop forcing us to subsidize it." Producers of the program have pointed out that it airs at 10:00 p.m., that viewers are warned of the graphic content, that the program can be blocked with the V-chip and that cable subscribers can ask their company to block it at their homes.

yeah yeah yeah, i don't think they really watch the show or complain too easily, there are no f words, or even t&p shots, just a.

I think they have been complaining about The Shield for several years now. If you think they hate the Shield, you should read what they have said about Nip/tuck.

I have mixed feelings about the PTC. Some of Brent Bozell's columns are right on the mark and very eye opening. But I think he does go too far sometimes; then again, can you be 'too educated' about what is contained within the media?
However, I have no real problem with the PTC reacting and expressing their opinions to the companies, either the advertisers or the channels themselves. Then the companies can decide which segment of the potential market to attempt to please. However, it would mean more if the parents actually found their kids watching this show, rather than being directed to complain by an organization. But the PTC is hardly the first, nor will it be the last, organization to do this.
I do find some of their targets and the reasoning somewhat silly--this to me "Producers of the program have pointed out that it airs at 10:00 p.m., that viewers are warned of the graphic content, that the program can be blocked with the V-chip and that cable subscribers can ask their company to block it at their homes." sounds like the show is already not likely to be a kids first find, and there's a lot worse stuff out there that kids are more likely to run into [a recent BB column said a reader wrote to him and said his child saw a 'graphic' Desperate Housewives commercial run during some 12:30 pm kids show--that's not cool, depending on how 'graphic' it was.]
I'm not sure about this: "stop forcing us to subsidize it". Most every program is 'subsidized' in some way, either directly through taxation, or indirectly through channel bundling or advertising.

They really need to pick their battles. 90% of the show are adults, many over 40, standing in a room talking. Small children aren't going to sit through that. Ditto Nip/Tuck.

They should really focus on teaching spelling, particularly on words six letters long.

So is this that group responsible for like 99% of the complaints to the FCC over the past few years?

Shiled?

I wouldn't want my son to watch The Shield since it portrays cops as dark characters who are capable of doing horrible things (don't really care about the nudity). We have a child lock on both our Tivo's and use it. Maybe that's what these complaining parents should do.

Whoa there. What you are talking about is dangerously close to personal responsibility, and we can have none of that around here. We need fringe groups to dictate to big government what the majority can and can not do.

I don't.

das

seeing that FX has multiple warnings before and during the show this is a lame crusade

You know what Cusm... you're starting to sound more and more like Groucho everyday.



to personal responsibility!

I found that statement to be hilarious! "The most explicit...imaginable?" I don't know about you, but I can imagine much worse sexual content, nudity, language and violence than I see on a typical episode of The Shield. As a matter of fact, I've seen much, much worse...I really don't need to imagine.

Are they really this out of touch?

Obscene filth?

What a bunch of idiots.

So if I tell Brent Bozell to suck my dick, will he ask me if he wants to lick my balls first? [See, look at that. I insulted Brent Bozell by making a little quick snappy reference to Tuesday night's episode of The Shield, or what it's currently being called by all the hip young people, The Shiled.]

Does the man really think that advertisers are going to stop placing ads one of the biggest shows currently on cable television? He does realize that the television industry is more about making money than catering to insecure idiots who don't want their kids to leave their bedrooms and see the true, horrific nature of the real world... right?

Talk about beating a dead horse I'd bet Brent Bozell has never seen a single episode all he is doing is throwing these labels out there demonizing this show. There is nothing to see here people move on.

Since everybody knows what the Shiled is going in, this is retarted...why cant the PTC learn to use a V-Chip?

I'm not sure I understand the "forcing us to subsidize it" comment. FX is usually part of a cable package, so it is not being broadcast on public airwaves or funded with any tax dollars. I assume he means that his cable company only sells it as part of a package. In that case, no one is forcing him to buy the cable package. Anyway, shouldn't he be complaining to the cable company about the way they package their channels as opposed to complaining to FX?

You know, I used to like The Shield. But now, thanks to the PTC, I see it for what it really is, a filthy, obscene corrupting force known as The Shiled. I will absolutely boycott this show and send strongly-worded letters not only to its current sponsors, but all past sponsors and any potential future sponsors, including children who might grow up to run companies that could sponsor such a show, and women who might one day give birth to said children, urging all of them to refuse to even entertain the thought of sponsoring this awful, demoralizing show that is single-handedly destroying America.

Amen.

4/5

shiled?

5/5

From the title of this thread, I thought perhaps PTC had started monitoring Israeli television.

They can take my "Shield" when they pry it from my cold dead hands.

Dear PTC,

Fuck. Off.

Love,
Draven

Remind me again who forced Brent Bozell to pay for cable TV.

Oh yeah...NOBODY.