i will be boycotting those shows

[somedaybitch]

this? is called propaganda.

“The ability to both entertain and inform is one of the hallmarks of a broadcast network,” says Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment. ”Integrating messages of volunteerism and service into America’s favorite television shows can have a powerful and lasting impact that benefits both the audience and the country at large.”

NBC president Angela Bromstad agrees. ”The week of volunteer-themed programming in October provides an opportunity for the networks to tap the power of television,” she says.

The ultimate goal, says Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment is “to get people thinking about what they can do in terms of volunteering, and then to act on that.”

“The most satisfying result for us is when our programs entertain viewers as well as inform them—and maybe even call them to action,” FOX Entertainment president Kevin Reilly points out.

yes, community service and volunteerism are good things in and of themselves. the problem, however, lies in a television network having showrunners create content specifically to hawk a government agenda.

that's propaganda, not storytelling.

you want to incorporate community service and volunteerism into a show's storyline? great. do it neutrally. do it organically. but do NOT do it because the government said so.

Comments

[flouritephoenix.livejournal.com]

You'll be boycotting these shows from now on or for that week? Because...come on. What is wrong with volunteering? If Bush had promoted something like that, I would have been all for it. There's nothing partisan about volunteering. The most far right churches promote volunteerism. The most far out libertarian gives money to NPR. I followed the link. If you don't want to volunteer at Planned Parenthood, don't.

I was going to argue that it's only propaganda if the government pays for it and if you don't have a choice, but I guess that "The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause" does apply here.

Except...are you pissed when large companies create competitions with pedometers? How dare they use propaganda to promote staying in shape. You know? If you're not going to do it, you're not going to do it, but I don't mind healthy practices being promoted by the media. They spend enough energy promoting mindless consumerism. And I don't see you boycotting shows that do that.

[flouritephoenix.livejournal.com]

Oh, and what are they supposed to do, now, NOT participate because the government told them to do it? Go against what they believe to be right because they don't like being told what to do?

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

it's easy to ask that question when one agrees with whatever the agenda is that the current government is currently promoting. because in that case the answer seems logical, ie: ok, but what's wrong with volunteerism? answer: nothing.

but to answer the question, yes, they should politely tell the government to pound sand.

just for argument's sake, what if the government were promoting abstinence because they believed pre-marital sex is sinful, and straight marriage because they believed gay marriage is evil and the downfall of humanity, and, i dunno, mandatory sterilization or some other extreme bullshit. and the government was telling showrunners to promote *that* agenda.

for me, it's not about what politcal jackass [or non-jackass, to be fair] is in office. it's about the power of government. the more able government is to give you everything you think you want, the more able it is to take away everything you have.

i want writers telling story because story matters to them. if that also happens to coincide with what some administration thinks is important right this second, lucky for that administration. but i don't want writers changing their storytelling because the government tells them to.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

to wit: this. (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jy_z-Zo4fvJEf2TK1LCiiPIe9NDwD9BBNUJ80)

[flouritephoenix.livejournal.com]

How about we see how it turns out? Like, if one of the characters tells someone they can't go to a bar next Saturday night because they have to be up early on Sunday to build a house with Habitat for Humanity, and the character would do that, that throwaway line, as part of a movement won't be as painful as that episode of Medium that was cross promoting Memoirs of Geisha, and instead of just having Alison and Joe go on a date to see it, they annoyingly talk it up when seeing it the paper and then have a few more annoying comments about how great it was...ugh. Or sitcoms might make it one of their very special episodes, which they do anyhow...

But if the show runners disagreed with what they were promoting, I don't think they'd say yes. Are you saying that this is opening the door for that in the future?

And again, if the issue was partisan, I think it would be bad. But mostly this has the potential to be annoying, like that episode of Medium.

in order of questions, i hope.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

the episodes that were altered.

as i already stated, there is absolutely nothing whatsoever wrong with volunteering. nothing. it's about the size and scope and power of government. i would have been just as pissed if the Bush Administration, or any other, would have done this.

private industry isn't government. a company promoting a product is promoting a product. i know their motive is financial gain. i don't have a problem with their motive being financial gain.

i'm not sure of a show that promotes "mindless consumerism", so i can't answer that. though, as a rule, i don't "boycott" anything. shows i don't like for whatever reason, i simply don't watch. and there are plenty of shows that i personally don't like that loads of folk do, and i have no fundamental issues with the shows; they just simply aren't my cup of tea. Glee, and any reality show ever made come to mind.

Re: in order of questions, i hope.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

the government didn't say, "do this or else". that, imho, would be propaganda.

while i see that point, i don't agree that "do this or else" is the part that qualifies the action as propaganda.

the *asking* imho, is what qualifies it as propaganda. and like i answered above, it's in any direction that i have a problem with it. i don't care what's getting promoted.

wasn't there as much of a flap around the whole who's got an american flag pin on and who doesn't?

yep. same rules, imho, apply.

Re: in order of questions, i hope.

[flouritephoenix.livejournal.com]

Oh and Gossip Girl promotes mindless consumerism. :-P