Friday, September 09, 2005

Unmaking the 'idiot box'


Group lists best and worst in family-friendly advertising

by Wendy Cloyd, senior editorial coordinator

The Parents Television Council identifies companies that support good and bad programming.

The Parents Television Council (PTC) this week released its "Top Ten Best and Worst Advertisers" list, ranking companies that either make an effort to support wholesome television or frequently sponsor shows with violent and vulgar content.

Brent Bozell, president of the PTC, said crude television shows survive because advertisers support them.

"Even though blame for television's increasingly offensive programming is often assigned to producers, writers, networks and even viewers," he said, "sponsors supporting shows with graphic sexual content, foul language and violence share responsibility."

Bozell said many corporations that enforce strict sexual harassment policies turn around and underwrite broadcast material which would violate that same harassment policy if the material were communicated by one employee to another.

"In equal measure, it should be noted that family-friendly television programming is on as a result of advertising support," he added. "And these corporate sponsors should be commended."

The top ten advertisers who run commercials during family-friendly programming are: The Campbell's Soup Company, J.M. Smuckers Company, Merck & Co., Clorox, Colgate Palmolive, Sears, General Mills, Coca-Cola, Mars and Wal-Mart.

Know more at CitizenLink

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