Reality television: the best primetime TV for kids?

by J.D. Griffioen (Subscribe to J.D. Griffioen's posts) Nov 2nd 2006 1:00PM

Categories: Media, Gadgets & Tech, That's Entertainment

Given what's going to happen to me after the rapture (according to an upcoming video game, I'm going to be killed by a group of fundamentalist mercenaries who will give me the choice to be born again, at gunpoint) , I'm always on the lookout for signs of the apocalypse. Well, here's one: a conservative parents' watchdog group says that reality shows are among the best on television for children. Have they seen the swimsuits those girls wear on Survivor? Hubba hubba.

The Parents Television Council says that many of the most-popular non-bikini-based reality shows are the most suitable shows in prime time for children on network television, including American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition are the most suitable. "When we think of reality shows, we tend to think of offensiveness," said L. Brent Bozell, the PTC's president. "And yet, reality shows have gotten better." Personally, I have never been offended by anything as much as I have been offended by Tye Pennington. Something about that guy makes my blood boil. Why couldn't he have got bitten by a sting ray while swimming in some coral reef?

Ultimately, the PTC feels that reality television is just much better for kids. Reality television has far fewer racy jokes about women's bottoms and less allusions to homosexuality. Not counting Bravo, that is. The PTC's real beef is with traditional sit-coms and dramas. "It's not a hard-and-fast rule, but the odds are if it's a scripted show, it's going to be problematic," Bozell said.

Source

Comments (13)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ginny 11-02-2006 @ 1:30PM

I don't think sting rays bite. heh hehe

I allow my 5 yo DD and 6 YO DS to watch Survivor, American Idol, Dancing with the stars, and stuff like that. We never make it through a whole show tho, as they are usually on at bed time. When they watch Dancing with the Stars they get up and dance ballroom. It's pretty cute.

Jessica 11-02-2006 @ 1:49PM

I can not stand reality TV b/c I believe it encourages our society to step on anyone and everyone in order to make it to the top.

I can only hope that my DD will share my repulsion but I will not forbid her to watch them when she is older. At least not ones like Dancing with the Stars or American Idol. There will never be any Survivor on any TV in my house...EVER.

Course, what do I know, I am that one parent who has TMX for my daughter so I apparently do not do appropriate things with my child, like read to them or take them to the zoo. I am a terrible parent I guess.

Jessica 11-02-2006 @ 1:58PM

Oh, and I hear ya JD, I can not STAND Ty Pennington. He makes me want to vomit.

Terri Mauro 11-02-2006 @ 3:36PM

My 16-year-old daughter's favorite thing to watch is traffic and weather on the Weather Channel. She likes the reality shows on cable like "Storm Stories" and "Little People Big World" and "A Baby Story." Lately she's been making me watch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" with her, and I'm with y'all on Ty Pennington. Oh, my gosh, where's a nail gun when you need one.

Ginny 11-02-2006 @ 2:16PM

I can't figure out why you two think Survivor would be an unacceptable show for kids. We live in FLorida and see skimpier outfits at the grocery store for goodness sake.

Jessica 11-02-2006 @ 2:31PM

I think Survivor teaches inappropriate techniques for interacting with other humans. I don't care about the skimpy outfits...well, I do but that is the least of my worries.(I also live in FL) I hate that the show promotes backstabbing, gossiping, and voting off people based on popularity or fake teams. It actually disgusts me. Just my opinion though.

Ginny 11-02-2006 @ 2:56PM

"I think Survivor teaches inappropriate techniques for interacting with other humans. "

Yes, but even my young children understand that Survivor is a competition. They know that the strategical scheming is just that.

Jonathon 11-02-2006 @ 3:01PM

God forbid there would be references to homosexuality. That'd be a problem. (Lame.)Anyone that's so obsessed with policing the viewing habits of other people's children could not possibly be the kind of parent I'd trust to make these kinds of recommendations.

pbl 11-02-2006 @ 4:12PM

i'm so screwed for the rapture since reading that 1st paragraph slayed me...

our toddler loves that dancing with the stars, she shakes her little booty right along with joey from blossom as i say: whoa! but i'm surpised the PTC hasn't caught on to the extremely suggestive costumes and the fact that most of the male (professional) dancers are gay. shh, don't tell them, their children might "catch" their gayness through the tv. extreme makeover home edition is a nice way to get me to release some needed tears once a week all under the disguise of emotion for a family who reminds me I have it way better than I think i do. i haven't watched survivor in years.

LS 11-02-2006 @ 5:03PM

I refuse to watch "Survivor", mostly because it's ridiculous... if they *really* had to survive, rather than doing stupid games, maybe it would be better. Home Makeover is one of the few shows I try to catch each week. I like the family-ness of the show, and the "let's do something nice for people" theme, and the fact that I can sit and play 'tractors' with my son in front of it, and not worry that he's going to see something that he shouldn't. Heck, he LOVES the demolition part of the show! And it's gotten better since I haven't seen Ty running through the houses with that blasted bullhorn.

ann adams 11-02-2006 @ 7:24PM

The PTC and I have very different opinions of values. To me, the reality shows send a terrible message to kids for the same reasons that Jessica (#5) said. We don't watch the majority of them if I can help it.

I don't like the conniving, the nastiness, and the dog eat dog mentality. And I think most of them are faked to some extent.

Once in a while I let them watch a little of American Idol just for the music but that's it.

As for the PTC, I can supervise my kids just fine. I don't need the help of the "family values" gang. They have nothing to say that I want to hear.

SSM 11-02-2006 @ 9:18PM

I feel so disconnected. We don't have a television, because we're profoundly religious and know better than anyone--oops, no, we're atheists and we just know that there are better ways to spend our time than having to "try" not to watch some crapola on television.

That said, when my teenager was very young, he did watch the "reality" TV of that time: This Old House and New Yankee Workshop. And I will stand by their appropriateness; care, planning, responsibility, respect are all reasonable values. Heck, back in the dark ages, there was even an idea that every single thing didn't need to be pimped to the max. Maybe there are some clips on YouTube for the wee one...

VL 11-02-2006 @ 10:30PM

I'm with you ann. Plus, I just don't think it's very funny to watch people be humiliated, and I hope my kids don't either. Of course, we're still in the Blue's Clues stage, so ask me again in 10 years.

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