A COLUMN BY Dick Rolfe Chairman, THE DOVE FOUNDATION
Move Over Jerry Springer!
Excitement comes in many levels, depending on the nature of the individual. For some, the thirst for excitement can only be quenched by playing three-on-three basketball, running a marathon, or tracking a deer in the forest after a fresh snowfall.
On the next rung down the ladder, are those whose stimulation level peaks while playing an daring game of double-down Backgammon, or when solving the latest New York Times crossword puzzle without help from the trusty crossword dictionary.
On the bottom rung are career spectators. . . folks who won’t venture out to watch a ball game, or any other outdoor activity at the risk of being victimized by unexpected bad weather. These "couch potatoes" get their thrills by rooting for their favorite team or player while sucking a pop and munching the plunder gathered from the frig during the last commercial.
I confess that I get a rush when I see Andre Agassi hitting a spectacular passing shot, or when I look down at Tiger Woods’ 320 yard drive from Snoopy II, the MetLife blimp. Witnessing their accomplishments is a way of fulfilling my own unrealized dreams of sports super-stardom.
But, there is another kind of passive entertainment that boarders on voyeurism. "Peak-a-boo" television shows like Jenny Jones, Ricki Lake and Jerry Springer focus on the seedy side of life. These programs succeed for a number of reasons. They are inexpensive to produce, and they fulfill a primal desire each of us possesses to live vicariously through people whose lives are more exciting than our own.
Hollywood believes that if a little is good, a lot is better. This provocative genre has sunk to a new low with the advent of a newly created show called, "Cheaters." The main character in this saga is a person who suspects that his or her spouse or lover is cheating on the relationship. The show’s investigators track down the offending partner, hoping to record the illicit rendezvous on videotape. Next, the cheating couple is confronted by the offended lover, along with the show’s producers and, of course, a camera crew. The result? Real-life adultery as entertainment.
The show’s creator, Bobby Goldstein, defends his show claiming that
the public has "an insatiable, unquenched thirst" for this type of entertainment. To prove his point, one couple that was exposed on one segment admitted that, even though they were humiliated by their experience, they would watch "Cheaters" to see what other couples are doing.Programs like "Cheaters" cause me to be thankful for blocking devices like the V-Chip. If your television doesn’t have one, I suggest using the remote control, or even better -- the "off" button. If enough of us refuse to allow such patently offensive programs into our homes, advertisers will get the message and refuse to fund them.
Advertisers Want More Family Friendly TV
A powerful group of advertisers is complaining that there aren’t enough primetime television programs that appeal to family audiences. General Motors, Warner Lambert, AT&T and Proctor & Gamble say they are uncomfortable sponsoring programs that offend families, who make up their largest customer group.
Instead of waiting on the networks to create kinder, gentler programs, these advertisers have pledged over one-half million dollars to fund the script development for eight new family-oriented programs on the WB network, which is owned by Warner Bros.
Apparently all those letter-writing campaigns to advertisers have been successful. At least, some of the more prominent companies are listening.
We have the ability to influence advertisers - and through them, television programmers. There are few weapons more powerful than our buying power. We should use that weapon wisely and often. Maybe the networks will produce what we want, rather than what they think we want.
"Man prefers to believe what man prefers to be true."
The Porn Industry Grows Up
Forbes Magazine ranks Pornography as a $56 billion industry. "Adult" video sales and rentals count for $20 billion. That’s significant when compared with the entire motion picture industry, including box office and video revenues, which brings in only $15 billion.
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Dick Rolfe is Chairman of The Dove Foundation a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage and promote the creation, production and distribution of wholesome family entertainment. For more information about wholesome films and videos, write: 535 E. Fulton, Suite 1A, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, or call (616)454-5021.
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Updated by: Scott RolfeCopyright © 1999, The Dove Foundation. All rights reserved.