Globex Corporation Newsletter

In TV, we called it a "flag." It's that little announcement before a program that warns you that the following program may contain nudity or swearing or something that someone somewhere might possibly find offensive. It used to be pretty straight forward, if there's an exposed boob in your program you ran the nudity flag, if someone says the word "shit" you ran the language flag.

All of these things seem to be out the window. Not only do we live in an age where people can get offended by anything, but offended people feel the need to send complaints to the FCC about anything hoping to fine broadcasters. The FCC recently received a flurry of angry letters over a "Simpsons" episode. One of the things complained about was a character holding a sign that read "What Would Jesus Glue?" Apparently some think that the name Jesus can't be used outside of a church setting. Never mind that in the hispanic community, Jesus is a relatively common male name. The FCC threw this one out, but the fact is that a culture has been created where a group or individual can complain and demand action about anything they see on TV that they don't agree with. Some people just have to complain about something, which is probably why this blog was created in the first place......

A flag used to be just about content, dirty words, naughty human parts, etc. Now we've moved into the area of ideas. This week's episode of "The Simpsons" was flagged by Fox because it depicted and discussed (and satirized) gay marriage. I didn't see a boob or hear anyone swear in the entire episode. Drawn representations of yellow, oddly shapped humans who were of the same gender were, in fact, shown to be kissing each other, but I don't think that's what the flag was about, it was about the idea.

Some people don't agree with gay marriage. As far as I'm concerned it's their right to disagree. I disagree with the idea of reality TV, but I've never seen (nor do I want or expect to see) a disclaimer saying that the following episode of "The Amazing Race" may be derivitive of "Survivor," and contains no creativity at all. I might see a flag because someone has to eat bugs, but the inane idea of a reality show isn't flagged.

I haven't checked this out for myself, but I was recently informed that episodes of "Scientific American Frontiers" on South Dakota Public TV are being flagged as possibly offensive. It seems that the ideas expressed in this show may not agree with those stated in the Bible. I do not ask my pastor to announce before his sermon that things he has to say may be in conflict with science. Science and Religion are two ideas. No one can give you any proof that one is more valid than the other, therefore followers of one shouldn't be offended if ideas expressed by followers of the other don't agree with their own ideas.

It reminds me of an episode of "WKRP in Cincinnati." A right wing christian group contacted Mr. Carlson asking to ban songs from the air for language or subject matter, strictly content things. Carlson agreed, he didn't want filth on his station, it all seemed reasonable to him. Lists of banned songs started arriving at the station, just a few songs at first, but more and more were added each week. Finally morning DJ, Johhny Fever, confronted Carlson about what was going on. Carlson set up a meeting with the head of the christian group and read him the lyrics to a song and asked if they would be allowed to play it. Without hesitation the christian leader said the song would not be allowed.

Carlson threw the man out of his office, telling him he had just banned a song for ideas not content. The song was John Lennon's "Imagine." Some people can't even imagine you being allowed to disagree with them.


Once again, a classic TV sit-com has showed me the way.......

BOJ