After reading another thread in this forum regarding The Weather Channel, I was inspired to create this one, based on an experience last weekend.
I was at my fitness club, and on the televisions were four cable channels, among them, VH1.
The program that was on at the time I was treadmillin' away was "Tool Academy". Another reality/celebrity/dating show made possible by Cris Abrego, whose presence on the channel rivals that of RuPaul of years gone by.
Anyway, one of the scenes I was subjected to on this particular episode of "Tool Academy" - well, how can I describe it - there were male contestants seated in what appeared to be a classroom, and on their desks were big pink gelatin bags. With a touch of ahir on them. And when I tell you that camera shots at the "front" of these bags were "censored", that should give you an idea of what these items represent by now.
Now, I'm no Pollyanna by any means. Yes, there should be a time and a place for such programming, but I understand that today's media landscape has dramatically evolved to the point that such programming is generally accepted at any hour of the day.
By the way: The hour of the day that I was subjected to this program? 11 AM. On a Saturday.
I also believe in changing the channel if one doesn't like the programming (never mind the "hostage viewers" at the fitness club), but just what if someone scanning the dial for Nickelodeon - VH1's sister station - just happened to stop at this scene from "Tool Academy"?
But the real argument I want to make in this post is something that many members on this board have made, day in and day out: These days, cable networks are starting to honor what the actual meaning of their name is, less and less. And clearly, the aforementioned media landscape shift has a role in it. I also understand that VH1 as well as MTV do rely on non-music programming for the better parts of their broadcast days due to increasing revenues related to running music videos.
Granted, The Weather Channel and TV Land could get away with airing non-traditional fare - as opposed to, say, weatehr reports, and pre-1990's television shows - because at least they can make the case that their content is still relevant to what the name of their network is.
But when a network that is traditionally known as a music channel starts airing what appears to be simulated cunnilingus at an hour where many kids are watching TV, that's something that I think should concern the cable operators that carry these channels. Maybe if they started moving these non-compliant networks like VH1 and CMT to the digital tiers of the lineups, then these networks will get the message.
Gee, wasn't there a big carriage dispute between certain cable companies and Viacom, which just so happens to own VH1 and CMT and TV Land and MTV, not too long ago, around New Year's? I don't blame the cable companies that were involved for getting into this dispute with Viacom, not a single bit.
In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store the next time VH1 is shown at my fitness club.
I was at my fitness club, and on the televisions were four cable channels, among them, VH1.
The program that was on at the time I was treadmillin' away was "Tool Academy". Another reality/celebrity/dating show made possible by Cris Abrego, whose presence on the channel rivals that of RuPaul of years gone by.
Anyway, one of the scenes I was subjected to on this particular episode of "Tool Academy" - well, how can I describe it - there were male contestants seated in what appeared to be a classroom, and on their desks were big pink gelatin bags. With a touch of ahir on them. And when I tell you that camera shots at the "front" of these bags were "censored", that should give you an idea of what these items represent by now.
Now, I'm no Pollyanna by any means. Yes, there should be a time and a place for such programming, but I understand that today's media landscape has dramatically evolved to the point that such programming is generally accepted at any hour of the day.
By the way: The hour of the day that I was subjected to this program? 11 AM. On a Saturday.
I also believe in changing the channel if one doesn't like the programming (never mind the "hostage viewers" at the fitness club), but just what if someone scanning the dial for Nickelodeon - VH1's sister station - just happened to stop at this scene from "Tool Academy"?
But the real argument I want to make in this post is something that many members on this board have made, day in and day out: These days, cable networks are starting to honor what the actual meaning of their name is, less and less. And clearly, the aforementioned media landscape shift has a role in it. I also understand that VH1 as well as MTV do rely on non-music programming for the better parts of their broadcast days due to increasing revenues related to running music videos.
Granted, The Weather Channel and TV Land could get away with airing non-traditional fare - as opposed to, say, weatehr reports, and pre-1990's television shows - because at least they can make the case that their content is still relevant to what the name of their network is.
But when a network that is traditionally known as a music channel starts airing what appears to be simulated cunnilingus at an hour where many kids are watching TV, that's something that I think should concern the cable operators that carry these channels. Maybe if they started moving these non-compliant networks like VH1 and CMT to the digital tiers of the lineups, then these networks will get the message.
Gee, wasn't there a big carriage dispute between certain cable companies and Viacom, which just so happens to own VH1 and CMT and TV Land and MTV, not too long ago, around New Year's? I don't blame the cable companies that were involved for getting into this dispute with Viacom, not a single bit.
In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store the next time VH1 is shown at my fitness club.