Greg Strangis
07-12-2007, 09:55 AM
Violence Statement:
The Caucus for Television Producers, Writers & Directors shares many of the concerns of members of the Federal Communications Commission about the quality of television viewing choices provided to our families, but we strongly disagree with the proposed remedy of federal control of television content. The Caucus firmly believes in a self-regulated industry approach to controlling violence on television.
Those best equipped to determine what people should or not watch on television are the people who watch it. Congress and the FCC should not pick and choose what a family thinks is funny, or moving or educational. Those who decide what viewing choices families have should be those who make the decisions about programming – those who own the networks and the programs.
Families are the only ones who should control what families watch. With the help of technologies like the V-Chip and tools like television ratings, parents can control what their children can view. Unfortunately those tools have not been given the full chance to work. Before surrendering control of who is allowed to show what to whom and when, we should work together to make sure that parents know all of their options.
As independent producers, writers and directors we have always trusted the American people. Independent creators who owned and controlled their shows gave us historic shows like “All in the Family”, “Crosby” and “Roots”. Other landmark television shows were originally feature films like “Saving Private Ryan”. These shows helped America see themselves, their neighbors, their history, and their possible futures in new ways.
These shows also sometimes included scenes that were difficult to watch because of their sometimes violent or challenging content. Removing, editing or changing those scenes would have changed the shows in profound ways. “Roots” showed the American people the real brutality of slavery and its legacy. “Saving Private Ryan” showed the American people true horrors of war. Removing the most difficult scenes would have changed the hearts – and the points – of those landmark works.
The creators and owners of all of these programs trusted the American people’s judgment and taste. And the American people rewarded that judgment. Politicians and bureaucrats did not write or edit these shows. Network accountants did not create these shows. Independent producers, writers and directors did. Independent producers, writers and directors created, owned and controlled these programs that educated, entertained and enlightened all of us.
Those of us who create, as well as consume, television programming have the greatest stake of all in the choices America’s families get to make. And we firmly believe that these families, fully educated and empowered, and provided a wide range of options, will make better choices for their children than Congress ever could.
The Steering Committee invites everyone, Caucus members or not, to weigh in on this important topic.
The Caucus for Television Producers, Writers & Directors shares many of the concerns of members of the Federal Communications Commission about the quality of television viewing choices provided to our families, but we strongly disagree with the proposed remedy of federal control of television content. The Caucus firmly believes in a self-regulated industry approach to controlling violence on television.
Those best equipped to determine what people should or not watch on television are the people who watch it. Congress and the FCC should not pick and choose what a family thinks is funny, or moving or educational. Those who decide what viewing choices families have should be those who make the decisions about programming – those who own the networks and the programs.
Families are the only ones who should control what families watch. With the help of technologies like the V-Chip and tools like television ratings, parents can control what their children can view. Unfortunately those tools have not been given the full chance to work. Before surrendering control of who is allowed to show what to whom and when, we should work together to make sure that parents know all of their options.
As independent producers, writers and directors we have always trusted the American people. Independent creators who owned and controlled their shows gave us historic shows like “All in the Family”, “Crosby” and “Roots”. Other landmark television shows were originally feature films like “Saving Private Ryan”. These shows helped America see themselves, their neighbors, their history, and their possible futures in new ways.
These shows also sometimes included scenes that were difficult to watch because of their sometimes violent or challenging content. Removing, editing or changing those scenes would have changed the shows in profound ways. “Roots” showed the American people the real brutality of slavery and its legacy. “Saving Private Ryan” showed the American people true horrors of war. Removing the most difficult scenes would have changed the hearts – and the points – of those landmark works.
The creators and owners of all of these programs trusted the American people’s judgment and taste. And the American people rewarded that judgment. Politicians and bureaucrats did not write or edit these shows. Network accountants did not create these shows. Independent producers, writers and directors did. Independent producers, writers and directors created, owned and controlled these programs that educated, entertained and enlightened all of us.
Those of us who create, as well as consume, television programming have the greatest stake of all in the choices America’s families get to make. And we firmly believe that these families, fully educated and empowered, and provided a wide range of options, will make better choices for their children than Congress ever could.
The Steering Committee invites everyone, Caucus members or not, to weigh in on this important topic.