Look for this to affect LITB - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

stevea · 07-30-2020, 04:36 PM

https://www.robertfeder.com/2020/07/...s-another-era/

Tankeryanker · 07-30-2020, 08:51 PM

Meh, I have mine on DVD, I do not pay for any media to supply my entertainment. Sanitize the world all you want...

GentlemanJim · 07-30-2020, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

https://www.robertfeder.com/2020/07/...s-another-era/

Shouldn't this thread be in the "Political Discussions" section ?

LOL!

and from the link:

Boasting an audience of 27 million viewers a week, it’s the fifth highest-rated cable network in the country, behind only Fox News, MSNBC, CNN and HGTV.

WOW, and my local cable operator wont even carry it.

stevea · 07-30-2020, 09:37 PM

I moved the other one to General Sitcoms due to a complaint. Complaints are rare on these 50s sitcoms.

They are calling it a cable network but it really isn't. It's a broadcast network that is intended for local digital subchannels. However it does have a national feed for markets where it ins't carried locally.

GentlemanJim · 07-30-2020, 10:09 PM

Actually I had no way of knowing, I selected the "crybaby" smiley just trying to be humorous. ;-)

Tankeryanker · 07-30-2020, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I moved the other one to General Sitcoms due to a complaint. Complaints are rare on these 50s sitcoms.

They are calling it a cable network but it really isn't. It's a broadcast network that is intended for local digital subchannels. However it does have a national feed for markets where it ins't carried locally.

Are you talking about mine? "Should TV go back to morality lessons?"

Why would anybody complain about that?

CosmicCharlie · 08-04-2020, 08:20 PM

MeTV flags objectionable content in ‘shows from another era

Richie Cunningham, the All-American 1950s teenager played by Ron Howard on the long-running sitcom “Happy Days,” has a poster on his bedroom wall that bears the image of a Confederate flag.

But you won’t see it again as long as the show is running on MeTV. From now on, the flag on Richie’s poster will be digitally blurred whenever it appears on the hometown network for “Memorable Entertainment Television.”

MeTV

It’s one of numerous judgment calls they’re making as Chicago-based MeTV owner Weigel Broadcasting systematically scours its library of reruns from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s to spot offensive stereotypes and other objectionable material in light of the times.

“We’re being responsible, not reactionary,” explained Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting and the driving force behind the network he created in 2008. “I’m not a fan of ‘cancel culture,’ but there are certain episodes and certain things we’re taking out and other things we’re leaving in. It’s an ongoing process.”

In all cases, Sabin said, the standard they’re applying considers “nuance, intent and the context in which it was done.” Westerns and cop shows on MeTV may deal with touchy subjects, but that doesn’t automatically render them unacceptable.

On the other hand, an episode of “The Beverly Hillbillies” focused almost entirely around racist Asian stereotypes was permanently removed.

Fred and Barney

An episode of “The Flintstones” in which Fred and Barney refer to two Arab characters who show up in Bedrock as “towelheads” has been excised. “Fred Flintstone will never be heard saying that on MeTV,” Sabin said.

And an episode of “The Monkees” was cut for Asian stereotypes and slurs.

On the other hand, Sabin strongly defends airing “Hogan’s Heroes,” a sitcom set in a Nazi prison camp during World War II, although he gets more complaints about it than any other show on the network.

Neal Sabin

“The world was never like ‘Leave It to Beaver,’” he said. “These are shows from another era, and we think people realize that.”

It’s all happening as MeTV enjoys record-high ratings from coast to coast. Boasting an audience of 27 million viewers a week, it’s the fifth highest-rated cable network in the country, behind only Fox News, MSNBC, CNN and HGTV.

“We are trying to make MeTV an escape from reality,” Sabin said. “That’s why we’re not jumping onto the bandwagon of doing ‘special programming.’ We’re just here, doing what we do, entertaining people, and helping them escape.”

Scrabjan1 · 08-10-2020, 09:32 AM

I knew someone who went to Louisiana and got a confederate flag license plate (back when we only had one plate on the back) and it said Forget! Hell! It was given to him because of his bad memory, not realizing it was political. Imagine if he rode around with that today? he would be stopped! Oh my!

Tankeryanker · 08-10-2020, 10:07 AM

I drove big trucks to get through college. I took a semester off and drove cross country. When I rolled into my first truck stop in Tennesee, there in the display counter next to the cash register were Aunt Jemima salt and pepper shakers, sugar bowl and cookie jar.

I just stared in disbelif that they could get away with that. Not that it was wrong or right, but that nobody had thrown a fit over it. That was in 97.

Scrabjan1 · 08-10-2020, 11:30 AM

June has that Aunt Jemima cookie jar in the kitchen. I just saw it in Wally’s Election as she has Wally take a cookie. Wonder if they will start to blurry it out. Later it got replaced with the tulips jar from the pickles.

Tankeryanker · 08-10-2020, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

June has that Aunt Jamima cookie jar in the kitchen. I just saw it in Wally’s Election as she has Wally take a cookie. Wonder if they will start to blurry it out. Later it got replaced with the tulips jar from the pickles.

No kidding? I am going to have to go have a look. Which season and episode, please.

Scrabjan1 · 08-11-2020, 08:47 AM

You see the Aunt Jemima jar in season 3 right there on the counter. In Wally’s Election June actually picks it up.

Tankeryanker · 08-11-2020, 12:44 PM

Bless her heart. There she is in all her glory. Great catch. I never noticed. Season 3 episode 19

07-30-2020, 04:36 PM	#1
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,975	Look for this to affect LITB https://www.robertfeder.com/2020/07/...s-another-era/

08-11-2020, 12:44 PM	#13
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,051	Bless her heart. There she is in all her glory. Great catch. I never noticed. Season 3 episode 19
	Last edited by Tankeryanker; 08-12-2020 at 11:24 AM.

07-30-2020, 08:51 PM	#2
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,051	Meh, I have mine on DVD, I do not pay for any media to supply my entertainment. Sanitize the world all you want...

07-30-2020, 09:37 PM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,975	I moved the other one to General Sitcoms due to a complaint. Complaints are rare on these 50s sitcoms. They are calling it a cable network but it really isn't. It's a broadcast network that is intended for local digital subchannels. However it does have a national feed for markets where it ins't carried locally.

07-30-2020, 10:09 PM	#5
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	Actually I had no way of knowing, I selected the "crybaby" smiley just trying to be humorous. ;-)

08-04-2020, 08:20 PM	#7
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,452	MeTV flags objectionable content in ‘shows from another era Richie Cunningham, the All-American 1950s teenager played by Ron Howard on the long-running sitcom “Happy Days,” has a poster on his bedroom wall that bears the image of a Confederate flag. But you won’t see it again as long as the show is running on MeTV. From now on, the flag on Richie’s poster will be digitally blurred whenever it appears on the hometown network for “Memorable Entertainment Television.” MeTV It’s one of numerous judgment calls they’re making as Chicago-based MeTV owner Weigel Broadcasting systematically scours its library of reruns from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s to spot offensive stereotypes and other objectionable material in light of the times. “We’re being responsible, not reactionary,” explained Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting and the driving force behind the network he created in 2008. “I’m not a fan of ‘cancel culture,’ but there are certain episodes and certain things we’re taking out and other things we’re leaving in. It’s an ongoing process.” In all cases, Sabin said, the standard they’re applying considers “nuance, intent and the context in which it was done.” Westerns and cop shows on MeTV may deal with touchy subjects, but that doesn’t automatically render them unacceptable. On the other hand, an episode of “The Beverly Hillbillies” focused almost entirely around racist Asian stereotypes was permanently removed. Fred and Barney An episode of “The Flintstones” in which Fred and Barney refer to two Arab characters who show up in Bedrock as “towelheads” has been excised. “Fred Flintstone will never be heard saying that on MeTV,” Sabin said. And an episode of “The Monkees” was cut for Asian stereotypes and slurs. On the other hand, Sabin strongly defends airing “Hogan’s Heroes,” a sitcom set in a Nazi prison camp during World War II, although he gets more complaints about it than any other show on the network. Neal Sabin “The world was never like ‘Leave It to Beaver,’” he said. “These are shows from another era, and we think people realize that.” It’s all happening as MeTV enjoys record-high ratings from coast to coast. Boasting an audience of 27 million viewers a week, it’s the fifth highest-rated cable network in the country, behind only Fox News, MSNBC, CNN and HGTV. “We are trying to make MeTV an escape from reality,” Sabin said. “That’s why we’re not jumping onto the bandwagon of doing ‘special programming.’ We’re just here, doing what we do, entertaining people, and helping them escape.”

08-10-2020, 09:32 AM	#8
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	I knew someone who went to Louisiana and got a confederate flag license plate (back when we only had one plate on the back) and it said Forget! Hell! It was given to him because of his bad memory, not realizing it was political. Imagine if he rode around with that today? he would be stopped! Oh my!

08-10-2020, 10:07 AM	#9
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,051	I drove big trucks to get through college. I took a semester off and drove cross country. When I rolled into my first truck stop in Tennesee, there in the display counter next to the cash register were Aunt Jemima salt and pepper shakers, sugar bowl and cookie jar. I just stared in disbelif that they could get away with that. Not that it was wrong or right, but that nobody had thrown a fit over it. That was in 97.

08-10-2020, 11:30 AM	#10
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	June has that Aunt Jemima cookie jar in the kitchen. I just saw it in Wally’s Election as she has Wally take a cookie. Wonder if they will start to blurry it out. Later it got replaced with the tulips jar from the pickles.

08-11-2020, 08:47 AM	#12
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	You see the Aunt Jemima jar in season 3 right there on the counter. In Wally’s Election June actually picks it up.