Product Description

Do you know what your kids are watching on TV or hearing on the radio? While channel surfing, they may come across an episode of Ally McBeal, in which Ally has anonymous sex in a car wash; the cartoon series "South Park", in which one of the characters is a talking piece of excrement; the public airing of dirty laundry on "The Jerry Springer Show"; the inane, obscene rantings of Howard Stern; or the glorified violence that seems to be the staple of every primetime action show.As a key player in the creative excellence that made TV's Golden Age so memorable, Steve Allen is disgusted and outraged by what he sees on television today. Though he's quick to applaud the few good shows now on TV, he is dismayed that these small islands of quality are almost lost in the sea of mediocrity and outright vulgarity that characterises current television fare. Whereas talent and quality were the benchmarks of the early years of television and radio, pandering to the lowest common denominator in pursuit of advertising dollars and audience share is the main focus of today's programmers and performers.More disturbing than the issue of artistic quality is the effect that such low cultural standards are having on our children. Every day America's youth is being exposed to hideously inappropriate speech and behaviour by role models in TV, film, radio, and the music industry. Concern about this crass promotion of sexuality and violence to children is not just an obsession of the religious right. A growing number of people in the entertainment industry, as well as citizens from all walks of life, are disturbed by the coarsening of American entertainment with its glorification of violence and casual, no-consequences sex. To fight this slide toward Gomorrah a campaign called "The Parents Television Council" has been launched, the goal of which is to improve the quality of television and all other facets of the entertainment industry.As honorary chairman, Steve Allen describes not only what the council is doing to raise our cultural standards, but more importantly what all concerned citizens can do to help. Allen argues against complacency; adults may ignore the content of television programming and other entertainment, but children are certainly paying attention and imbibing the not-so-subtle violent and sexually charged messages. The question, says Allen, is: What kind of a society will we bequeath to our children, one dominated by media conglomerates that push anything for a quick buck, or one that reflects the highest standards of our heritage? It's up to us to do something about it., to raise a chorus of protest that echoes the words of the TV anchorman from Network, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #921558 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 1.65 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly
At the forefront of television's Golden Age in the 1950s, Allen reigned for decades as a top TV comedian. However, his serious side has always been evident in his 54 books from his autobiographical Mark It and Strike It (1960) to Ripoff: The Corruption That Plagues America (1979). In recent years, Allen became increasingly disturbed by the entertainment industry's declining cultural standards and "the general ugliness and immorality of much of popular culture." He made his position clear in letters, lectures and articles and by serving as the honorary chairman of the 600,000-member Parents Television Council. Here, he conducts an "admittedly unscientific study of modern television programming," yet offers an array of statistics, survey findings and clippings to back up his assertions targeting TV writers, programmers, performers, network executives and corporate giants. Tracing a pattern of denial, he moves on to "late night raunch," public-access channels ("actual pornography of the most explicit sort"), "family-friendly" sponsors responsible for sending prime-time "depravity into the home" and violence in children's programming. At the core of the book are lengthy attacks on Madonna, Howard Stern, Jerry Springer and rap music. Dismissing "the suggestion that networks can police themselves," he concludes by surveying such solutions as letters, picketing, boycotts and religion. An appendix lists 21 key organizations. (Apr. 15)Forecast: Allen undoubtedly would have promoted this book had he lived to see it published (he died last October at age 78). Still, his name and credibility will attract attention. Current controversies on media sex and violence could put this title in the spotlight, and word-of-mouth among members of conservative organizations like the Dove Foundation will fuel sales.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Orlando Sentinel, June 10, 2001
"...a nice companion piece to Allen's bestseller, DUMBTH..."

The Buffalo News, Sunday, April 15, 2001
"A survival manual for adults trying to cope with the media's saturation bombing of their children with images and words of violence and sex."