Television, Role Models, Morality...Are we looking in the wrong places?

When I think about the shows that I watched on TV growing up, it's not difficult to come up with a number of role models that I think still stand today...I especially like watching The Cosby Show with my kids...hilarious, and great messages.




...but I'm not at all overwhelmed with the by the number of positive influences I see on TV today. (Skip to the bottom for a great article by a 17 year old in MS)

Top 10 Best TV Shows for Families

1. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” ABC 8 p.m. Sunday

2. “Three Wishes” NBC 9 p.m. Friday

3. “American Idol” Fox Returning in spring ‘06

4. “The Ghost Whisperer” CBS 8 p.m. Friday

5. “Everybody Hates Chris” UPN 8 p.m. Thursday

6. “Reba” WB 9 p.m. Friday

7. “Bernie Mac” Fox 8 p.m. Friday

8. “Dancing with the Stars” ABC

9. “7th Heaven” WB 8 p.m. Monday

10. None - So bad is the situation in TV land that the PTC could not find a 10th show they felt comfortable recommending to families.

Click here for the top ten worst TV shows for families.

More Violence on Children’s TV than on Adult-Oriented TV - Click here for the whole article.

"Parents often take it for granted that children’s programs are, by definition, child-friendly. While a lot of entertainment programming for children is perfectly wholesome, parents nevertheless have to worry about the part of it that isn’t appropriate. This disturbing trend signifies that parents can no longer be confident that their children will not have access to dark violence, sexual innuendo or offensive language on entertainment programming targeted toward children. We do realize that this is probably not a deliberate effort to undermine the social fabric of young children, but this thoughtlessness still produces the same end result,"

"This disturbing trend signifies that parents can no longer be confident that their children will not have access to dark violence, sexual innuendo or offensive language on entertainment programming targeted toward children," Bozell said. "We do realize that this is probably not a deliberate effort to undermine the social fabric of young children, but this thoughtlessness still produces the same end result."

Here is a really nice article from a High School Junior named Amber Cockrell in Louisville, MS.

What's wrong with kids these days? If I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times, and I truly believe my generation does have some major issues. I believe one of the biggest problems with today's young people is our idols. Now, I'm not in any way degrading the TV show; I am, however, complaining that we teenagers are looking to the wrong people as examples to follow or that we have no one to follow. The Brittany Spears/50 Cent media world beckons girls to don as little as possible and guys to wear clothes at least 12 sizes too big with as much "bling" as possible, to say and do whatever we want, whenever we want, however we want, to whomever we want and not to worry about who gets hurt in the process. Then adults complain because of the way we act and dress and blame the movies we watch and the music we listen to, but we can't blame the media forever.

She goes on...

...The second of the Old Testament's Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 states that there shall be no other idols before the one true God, and I believe that is where the fault lies. A vast majority of us have formed other gods for ourselves: the gods of wealth or popularity or intelligence or television or music or food or simply the god of self. We choose to make something else for ourselves to look to, forgetting that the ultimate example of every good thing is right in front of us, our Father in Heaven patiently waiting for us to look to Him as our model, the God who paints each morning's sunrise and who genuinely loves us with everything He has...

...I honestly believe that if ALL of us would look to God as the God we can depend on, the God who keeps His promises, and would obey Him and love Him with all we have, there would be no more complaining about kids these days. But someone has to initiate that change of focus. Will you be America's role model and stop following false idols?

***UPDATE 3/7/06***

Brent Bozell continues the topic here.

It was some six years ago, and my youngest boy, Reid, along with his best friend Mitchy, both 3, had browbeaten me into taking them to the matinee of the "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" movie. We had settled into our seats, they with their popcorn and soda, and I with the mission of an afternoon nap -- a goal I was well on my way to achieving when I was jolted awake by the dialogue in the preview of the upcoming "Rugrats" movie. Scene after scene concluded with a comedic punchline revolving around soiled diapers, flatulence, mucus and God-knows what other bodily excretions, while my little boy and his friend giggled in delight. Thanks, Hollywood.

And here's the worst news. While most of what is offered as children's programming at the movies and on television is wholesome in its innocence, it is also true that even here, even in the programming produced for the youngest of the young, there are cultural landmines everywhere. The topic matter and language in the "Rugrats" preview wasn't the exception. It is the rule for much of what young children are now receiving, particularly on television, as entertainment.

The Parents Television Council has released the results of a new study that examined what Hollywood is producing for children ages 5-10, before and after school and on Saturday mornings, on eight different networks. The numbers should be enough to trigger a double-take for any parent.