The Parents Television Council (PTC) recently underscored an important issue for consumers of cable programming.
“Because the cable and satellite industry FORCES subscribers to pay for bundles of cable networks – many of which they don’t want and don’t watch – families like yours must underwrite disgusting content,” it reported.
In particular, the PTC highlighted one obscene program, Spike Network’s Guys Choice Awards, to depict the extent to which cable networks abuse the responsibility of crafting media content wisely. The show aims profane, vulgar and immoral content at a debased, chauvinist male audience – the likes of which are too offensive to repeat here.
The question raised by the PTC is this: Given the choice, how many cable subscribers would actually purchase the show on its own merits? Probably, not many.
As MOVIEGUIDE® has reported year after year, audiences reward movies with wholesome content significantly more at the box office than unwholesome movies. This is how you get companies like Pixar, the most successful studio in the industry, which has produced blockbuster after blockbuster of family-value movies.
Unfortunately, the same cannot always be said for Cable TV, even though sports programs and family networks do very well.
Under the current system of bundle packages, the cable industry denies the consumer the right to vote on which networks to underwrite and which to avoid. Thus, underperforming crass programs flourish off the success of better quality shows. Evidently, the “bundle package” is an illusion pulled by corporate cable providers on the consumer in order to make huge profits off shows with crass content.
The way in which cable companies conduct business is not only antiquated. It is offensive. The consumer deserves better quality content, so subscribers must take a stand to effect change in the industry. Many subscribers are “cutting the cord” from cable and switching to Netflix or other online services to watch video on demand.
– Source: Parents Television Council, 06/17/11.
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