Study: Children's TV Studded With Dark Acts

[Ouchyfish]

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - Children's television is studded with violence, much of it darker and more realistic than when an anvil dropped on Wile E. Coyote's head, a watchdog group reported on Thursday.

The Parents Television Council analyzed 444 hours of kids' daytime programs last summer and detailed 2,794 violent incidents, even after sifting out "cartoony" moments like those involving the Road Runner. That's 6.3 incidents an hour — more than the PTC found in prime time aimed at adults during a 2002 study.

Programs like "Teen Titans" on the Cartoon Network and ABC Family Channel's "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" often feature intense fights with swords, guns and lasers, the group said.

It detailed a scene on Fox's "Shaman King" where two characters have a lengthy sword fight. One character is knocked out by a blow to the head, and his opponent reaches into the chest of his screaming rival and pulls out his "soul," leaving him dead.

There's nothing wrong with fanciful, fantasy violence, said Brent Bozell, PTC founder. "I grew up with `Tom and Jerry' and I think I'm OK," he said.

"Popeye beat up Bluto and you cheered," he said. "That was perfectly fine. Now the protagonists will be caught in dark, powerful, oftentimes scary scenarios where there is hard violence."

Violent cartoons can increase children's anxiety, desensitize them or lead them to believe that violence is more prevalent — and acceptable — in real life than it really is, said Dr. Michael Rich, director of the Center of Media and Children's Health at Harvard University's medical school.

Children under age 8 are cognitively unable to distinguish between real and fantasy violence, he said. Rich studied reactions to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and found children much less upset than their parents, perhaps because they couldn't distinguish it from what they saw on TV regularly, said Rich, who endorsed the study.

"They will tell you it's only make-believe," he said. "The responses they have to it are exactly the same as the real-life information."

The PTC cited the Cartoon Network as having the most violent incidents. The watchdog group also criticized the ABC Family Channel while praising the Disney Channel as the least violent network; both are owned by the Walt Disney Co.

Fox and NBC, with more live-action children's shows, scored low on the violence meter.

The Cartoon Network, in a statement, said that "we are confident that our standards and practices policies ensure that the programming on our air is age-appropriate. All of our shows undergo several reviews throughout the production process to make sure they are suitable for their intended viewers."

The watchdog group also criticized networks for coarsening the dialogue with potty humor and mean-spirited name-calling. There's also been a trend toward mimicking movies in including double-entendres so shows will appeal to both children and adults, their report said.

Rich said he didn't expect critical reports like this to change the industry's habits. Only if parents become more aware and reject violent shows will the industry listen, he said.

"This should be the age of utter innocence for a child," Bozell said. "Hollywood should do anything within its power to protect that innocence."

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At the expense of beating an old dead horse, I'd like to repeat that video games are right up there. 25 years ago, I was playing games where a yellow circlular thing ate dots and was chased by blue ghosts. Sometimes I'd play a plumber trying to save a princess from some crazy ass throwing barrels at him. (Pardon the Sorina-esque moment there.)

Nowadays, kids learn how to carjack, stomp policemen's heads and chests into the ground, treat women like less-than-human, bodies being blown apart with almost real-life detail, etc..etc...etc...

Parents are ultimately responsible for their kids ending up fucked up or not, but these days it seems like parental responsibility has gone out the fuckin window.

I like my video games real, hell I know everyone does, but until they can find a way to get these folks educated about this, parents cannot be trusted with it. It needs to become as taboo as pornography and children. It needs to become illegal and considered contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Make the games real, do -not- put any restraints on the manufacturers/designers/etc, but for the love of God, put some accountability on parents.

What if I walked into the local porno shop where you were shopping, for instance, (in this example let's just say you were) and I informed the clerk that I was buying these steamy pornos for my 6, 8, or 10 year old child? Don't give me this "you can't tell me how to raise my kids" blah blah blah. I can so tell you when there's a better chance your little whackjob will become a menace to society stretching well beyond the confines of -your- household for letting them play/see this shit. Along the same lines, how can you tell a society that sex and children don't mix yet look the other way and completely ignore when parents let their children experience -this- shit? I ask you, which is honestly worse? I think kids would be better off watching pornography than this violent shit like "25 to life" or any of the "Grand Theft Autos". If they can police ones exposure to children, why on earth not the other and much worse one?

Like I have said before, I do not expect a bunch of college aged (or older yet act like they're still 18-24) video game enthusiasts to agree with me here. Maybe one person that even half-ass agrees will have the balls to open their mouths but I doubt it. =)

[Harrison]

There's nothing to agree with. You're 100%, flat-out, wrong. As are most of the retards trying to find some connection between video games and violence.



See the timeline? Now go look in the mirror cocknose, that right there is an ignorant moron.


Hmmm, looks to me like a lot less is happening than you're trying to say.


I figured I'd just prove how wrong you are some more.

The media inflates every-single-fucking event that happens so it APPEARS that more violent crime is happening across the nation. In-fact, our generation (growing up playing violent video games *GASP*) is the least violent EVER.

Blaming violent media would be like going to the opera, noticing that most people there are rich, and concluding that opera makes people rich.

IT MUST BE DA GAMES

Now before you hurt yourself on the ignorance train.

[Harrison]

Quoting the DoJ's report directly...

Recently, the offending rates for 14-17 year-olds reached the lowest levels ever recorded.

Hmmm the lowest levels ever recorded? But, but, but...I thought these were the times when video games were training children in how to kill?!?!

Ouchyfish knows something the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE doesn't!. Oh shit, this is the real world, where you're WRONG, almost forgot.

[Ouchyfish]

Answer me this, harrison.

Do you believe children should be playing games like 25 to life and Grand Theft Auto?

Since you are not a parent and are pretty much just some dropout drunk that acts like they're 16, I do not expect you to have a true adult perspective on this.

I also do not trust statistics coming from a department of government that is responsible for reducing crime. Talk to me when you graduate from college and have actually learned a thing or two about crime rates, ok?

Children do not need to see this shit. It is just regoddamndiculous.

[Maeya]

May I see the link to the source of your graphs, please? I'd be interested to read about it more.

[Diekan]

Stats don't always represent the truth.

People who can't see that ALL forms of entertainment influnce people (both kids and adults) are fucking morons.

Go check the recruitment stats of the US Navy shortly after the release of the movie "Top Gun."

Let P Diddy come out tomorrow sporting a pink shower cap - and you can bet your ass that kids will be wearing them a week later.

How many people here used to pretend like they were Joe Montana when you were an 11 year old playing neighborhood football?

Cartoons today are full of smart mouthed characters with bad attititudes and the kids who watch them repeat this behavior.

Let's stop pretending the violent video games and violent TV programming has no effect on kids - to deny that because of what some chart says IS moronic.

It's funny how we can freely admit that kids mimic the dress and attitudes of pop stars, athletes and other "famous" influencial people... It's funny how when TV shows like CSI hit the mainstream crime labs across the country get blasted with thousands of resumes from people who "want to do that for a living." YET - when it comes to even remotely linking violent behavoir with various forms of entertainment we allll get up in arms over it, calling it a bunch of bunk.

I for one am all about some porn, violent video games and racy videos with Shakira shaking that fine ass of her's. However, we DO need to restrict such forms of entertainment to adults only.

I don't want to tell any adult that they can't play GTA, or watch a XXX film, or listen to gansta rap - but kids have no business being exposed to it.

There's a reason the US Army and Marines have started MAKING some of their people play games like Doom.

If a person can't see that kids have no business getting mixed up in ADULT forms of entertainment - they should be sterilized.

[Jimmy Durante]

I'll agree with certain forms of entertainment being a negative influence. Case in point: today I cannot listen to Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" without visualizing Elmer Fudd's "Kill the Wabbit" performance.

[mofish]

Watch Apocalypse Now a few times. When I hear it I think of choppers and napalm.

[araby]

so many of us want so badly to be able to make our choices...yet we scream for someone to tell us what to do.

I have a problem with the banning of pretty much anything. Noone wants to own up to anything, and so we find a way to put it off on someone else. I agree that the violence is much more detailed and graphic today than it was when I was younger- and the ultimate weapon was the carebear stare. But, I think that most kids aren't allowed to play the games intended for adults. And if they are, again-it's the parent's fault. So, what, we take away all the games just because some parents don't enforce the rules?

We still sell alcohol even though minors drink, and people old enough to drink still drive...and it's the leading cause of death in many states...and the list goes on. People honestly want to make a big deal out of this and I just don't buy it. this is not an urgent situation and I completely agree with Harrison that it's blown out of proportion by the media. Take a look at what the problems really are...where all the fucked-upness comes from. I don't think that violence in video games/cartoons is the source, and if it is...let me see how and then I'll support this.

[Tikker]

I don't want to tell any adult that they can't play GTA, or watch a XXX film, or listen to gansta rap - but kids have no business being exposed to it.

that's where parents are supposed to come in though

[Ouchyfish]

Right, but that's my point, though. Parents are failing at this. So, since they do not want to do the job the government will have to step in to protect the children. (Ugh did I just say that??!)

Like I said, if I am going out and buying porn for my 4 year old or when he's 8 etc, would the government look favorably on me or lock my ass up? Now tell me which is worse. a man brutally beating a police officer to death on a street, smashing his head into pavement with graphic detail or two people mating?

[Diekan]

I don't think anyone is saying that those forms of entertainment should be illegal for adults to buy and "consume," but I personally think they should be illegal for kids to be exposed to. And, with that said - certain movies and cartoons should be taken off the air - or at least shown at a later time during the day so that parents can monitor that which is being watched.

My point is that there is plenty of evidence that entertianment influnces people - but no one wants to agree that violent behavior can be linked to violence in entertainment - that's fucking retarded.

[Eldred]

I played GTA 3 for the first time today, and now I can stop picking up chicks on the side of the road and making my car hop up and down. I don't know what the fuck is wrong with me.

[Ouchyfish]

quiet, the grownups are talking.

[araby]

If that is the case DIekan then who is going to pull those programs from the air? I monitor what my kid watches but not every parent does this. the only people who care about what their kids watch actually prevent them from doing it.

the alternative is to take them off of the air, or move them to a later time..but who's going to do that? again-the parents that care just turn it off. the networks/cable companies/channels are making money...television is huge and they make money from US, the viewers!

why didn't the government step in long before now? It's like what howard stern was saying yesterday...the FCC are a bunch of hypocrites. Tyra Bank's talk show was all about clitoral stimulation the other day, and they won't let Howard Stern have a radio show that lets him say what he wants, to the only people that would ever listen, and those are the ones that do? "oh, but the children might hear." well, bullshit! They can't get decent programming even on Disney-my ten year old sees 12-14 year olds dressed like 25 year olds dancing around to videos and that is not acceptable. Programming on television is exactly that-it programs our minds. but we asked for the tv, we got it, and we plopped our kids in front of it, and now we want to take it away. It's all about the money though, and until people actually demand en mass that programming changes, noone will do anything about it, least of all the FCC.

[Jay]

There's nothing to agree with. You're 100%, flat-out, wrong. As are most of the retards trying to find some connection between video games and violence.



See the timeline? Now go look in the mirror cocknose, that right there is an ignorant moron.


Hmmm, looks to me like a lot less is happening than you're trying to say.


I figured I'd just prove how wrong you are some more.

The media inflates every-single-fucking event that happens so it APPEARS that more violent crime is happening across the nation. In-fact, our generation (growing up playing violent video games *GASP*) is the least violent EVER.

Blaming violent media would be like going to the opera, noticing that most people there are rich, and concluding that opera makes people rich.

IT MUST BE DA GAMES

Now before you hurt yourself on the ignorance train.

If you were to compare us to other countries like the UK or Asian countries, it shows that our crime rate is HUGE. However statistically, they rate their crime rate by the number of convictions whereas we rate it by the number of arrests. Huge difference.

[Arlos]

Kid shows today seem to be just half hour long commercials for action figures or other toy products. I realize that started back in the 80s, if not earlier, but it's especially egregious these days.

I remember growing up on a steady diet of Sesame Street, Captain Kangaroo, Electric Company, Mr Rogers Neighborhood, Zoom, etc. The crem del acreme was saturday mornings, where we could see 4 hour blocks of Warner Brothers Cartoons: Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner, Daffy Duck, etc. I lived for saturday mornings for my Wile E fix.

My parents actually did pay attention to what we were watching, too. Me moreso than my brother, but given that I'm the eldest, that's only natural. I know I wasn't allowed to watch The Flintstones, because my parents felt that the show promoted lying and cheating, which they didn't feel was appropriate. Looking at the shows now, and the plotlines, I can kinda see their point.

I would like to strongly dispute the talking head who claims that kids under 8 can't differentiate between real violance and cartoon violence. I knew damn well what the difference was between TV show violence and real violence, and knew that what was shown on the news was real, even though it was on television. (I have early memories where I can remember Walter Cronkite speaking in the background, heh)

Now, all that said, if I had a kid, would I let them play some of the games out there? Depends on how old. 14-16, probably, depending on what it was. 9? fuck no. Now, I realize I have different attitudes on this than most people, but if the game was adult rated due to nudity, etc. I would be a lot more lenient than I would be to a game that was adult-rated due to extreme violence. Nudity and sex (assuming we're not talking Goatse/tubgirl/animal-farm pictures here) are natural, for the most part, violence isn't.

-Arlos

[Spazz]

This protect the children shit that comes outta peoples mouth nonstop really irritates me. You want the government to step in and take more controll of our lives? I watched violent movies at a young age, i played with toy guns and gi joe. I play games nonstop. I dont have a criminal record i dont get in violent altercations. I think this is a case of a few bad apples and media hype. As far as the put it on at a later time/censor the hell outta it/just dont play it goes maybe i dont wanna stay up till 5 am and since i pay for it i think there outta be something on i might wanna watch. Everybody spends most of there time as an adult so i dont get why we are allways trying to cater to children.

[Ouchyfish]

TV can easilly be controlled with the V-chip now. Any parent not utilizing this tool yet whining about television content should be forced to go to a seminar about it and fined.

As far as video games, what I am saying is that kids have no business seeing that shit. Regardless of whether you "turned out ok" or not, it is inappropriate. Just as inappropriate as the law feels about kids smoking, drinking, or viewing pornography. To make it legal for parents to buy this garbage for their kids is hypocritical as hell. The modern day video games like GTA, FEAR, 25 to life, and Manhunt are far worse shit than a kid could ever see in your standard porno.

(Let's be clear here, I am not advocating showing kids porno etc, I am only pointing out that some M/AO video games are far worse and should therefore be as restricted and parental responsibilities regarding such should be enforced by the laws.)

[Spazz]

What age kids are we talking about here ?

[Harrison]

I shit on you, and this thread.

If you're going to disregard statistics simply because you disagree with the TRUTH, you're a fucking moron, and I refuse to argue with an ignorant bitch.

[Maeya]

If you're going to disregard statistics simply because you disagree with the TRUTH, you're a fucking moron, and I refuse to argue with an ignorant bitch.

Sources, yo.

I wanna see where you got your charts.

[Harrison]

Department of Justice
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.html

[Harrison]

P.S. The bitch comment was aimed at Ouchyfish, Conductor of the Ignorance Express.

[Captain Insano]

There's nothing to agree with. You're 100%, flat-out, wrong. As are most of the retards trying to find some connection between video games and violence.



See the timeline? Now go look in the mirror cocknose, that right there is an ignorant moron.


Hmmm, looks to me like a lot less is happening than you're trying to say.


I figured I'd just prove how wrong you are some more.

The media inflates every-single-fucking event that happens so it APPEARS that more violent crime is happening across the nation. In-fact, our generation (growing up playing violent video games *GASP*) is the least violent EVER.

Blaming violent media would be like going to the opera, noticing that most people there are rich, and concluding that opera makes people rich.

IT MUST BE DA GAMES

Now before you hurt yourself on the ignorance train.

Nice job. Thread owned.