Fun_People Archive
18 Oct
Biker Mice From Mars

Date: Wed, 18 Oct 95 12:55:08 -0700
From: Peter Langston <psl>
To: Fun_People
Subject: Biker Mice From Mars

Forwarded-by: bostic@bsdi.com (Keith Bostic)
Forwarded-by: dfitzpat@interserv.com

Broadcasters who were recently required to meet the educational needs of
children claim that they are doing it with shows like "America's Funniest
Home Video's," "Yogi Bear," and "Biker Mice  From Mars."  The findings came
from research done by UC Santa Barbara professor Dale Kunkel who combed
through FCC records to see just how educational programming standards were
being met. Kunkel found that WGCB in Red Lion, Pa. believes "Yogi Bear" to
provide children with "certain moral and ethical values such as not to do
stupid things or you will have trouble.  Don't take what doesn't belong to
you or be prepared  to face the music."  Fox affiliate WETG-TV in Erie, Pa.
claims "Biker Mice  From Mars" is instructive because it "stresses caring
for others, the differences between right and wrong, and making decisions
that involve conscience."   Kunkel said his study proves that stations are
NOT meeting Congress's mandate.  "So long as broadcasters continue to be
given free use of the public airwaves, they owe something to the nation's
children," he said.  "When broadcasters try to pass some of these programs
off as educational, it's like using counterfeit currency to pay that debt."
(Variety)

© 1995 Peter Langston