It’s called the ‘Off’ button
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
The senate inquiry has recommended new televisions should be fitted with “lock-out” technology to prevent children watching inappropriate programs.
Wow. There’s one for the books. My TV already has such whiz-bang technology. It’s called the ‘Off’ button. Won’t cost ’em a thing.
I use it to lock-out lots of offensive stuff. Late night religious preachers, bra-stories masquerading as current affairs, Kyle and Jackie O, Border Security targeting Asians, clip shows, reality television that has trumped up “controversial” stories in the press the same day its airing, gangsters wives, New Zealand factuals, shows that have already run on other networks trying to pass themselves off as premieres, reruns squeezed in between new episodes hoping nobody will notice the difference, cross-promotions on current affairs shows, shows with a lack of diversity, shows with a lack of humility, over-hyped audiences, bad singing, anyone who says the phrase “out of their comfort zone”, government departments joining with observational series as propaganda hybrids, ads on Foxtel, ads during SBS shows, shows that run overtime, shows that start out in one timeslot then get bumped because I wasn’t loyal enough, drama without direction, drama without risks, and conservative lobby groups telling me what I should be offended by.
There were a bunch of other recommendations you can read for yourself here.
Off.
19 Responses
So it isn’t about being a bland show then. It’s about Christian Televangelists being frauds! Hence why a Christian reader of yours was offended in the first place. He knew what you were implying.
You didn’t actually say “and Peter Popoff” in your Original Post, you said “late night religious preachers”. Not all late night Preachers are Faith healers, some just do ordinary preaching about surviving day to day, some are even Australian I believe.
Considering theres a couple million Christians in Aus if your going to slam a religion, don’t be surprised if you cop a bit back 🙂
It was quite simple, you had a swipe at religion, and a religious person got pissed at you.
This is quite simple.
If anybody wants to compare the infommercials of the fraudulent, exposed tactics of an evangelist like Peter Popoff to the independently produced documentaries showcased on Compass (which looks at many religions by the way) then I think we will never see eye to eye.
I’m comfortable with my original post and feel I’ve engaged enough in the feedback.
So advertising altogether is bad? Or just advertising of religion? And doesn’t Salam Cafe and Compass both advertise and promote the positives of religion?
Given I didn’t say what specifically I was referring to regarding late night preachers there are a lot of assumptions going on….that said, I believe the culture and advertorial tone of these shows is hardly entertaining or informative but if others want to defend or watch them that’s up to them. From where I sit blandness is offensive, as are some of the other bland items on the list.
Again Compass runs rings around them.
Very tricky reply Dave, “late night religious preachers”, I don’t think you were having a go at the shows format or demographic, the same way you said “gangsters wives”, it’s subtext is embedded in topical pop culture.
Of course one wouldn’t have a go at Salam Cafe, if you didn’t like the show you wouldn’t include it on the list either, its inclusion would imply an attack on that religion intended or not, just like adding “late night religious preachers” can in turn imply the same thing.
When playing the Derryn Hinch angle, sexual preference and religion should be just left out altogether, very touchy areas, and rightfully so.
(No, I’m not religious)
PS. Compass is excellent religious TV. The comment was a criticism of television thanks, not religion.
Richo you’re entitled to your opinion. There’s nothing snide or sneaky about what I said at all, I was very up front. The current debate about what is offensive is proving remarkably that what is offensive to one is inoffensive to another, and vice versa.
I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
I don’t mind you finding my comments bigoted, the site is clearly driven with opinion and will remain so (it’s a personal blog after all). I do mind your final comment which frankly borders on being unpublishable here. I don’t believe my comment was directed to you personally, but that comment was.
Frankly my post was pretty critical of much of the TV landscape rather than just singling out TV evangalists. I could have had a go at Salam Cafe, which is Muslim faith based. But I find it entertaining. What’s entertaining about those late night preachers? Nothing I can see. They are religious advertorials which as a media commentator I can’t abide or let slip.
That’s not cool bashing people who belong to religions man. I’m a regular user of your site but I’m also a dedicated Christian and I’m not ashamed of it. I can ignore the comments from users easily by just pressing the “close” button but when you put this bigoted rubbish snidely and sneakily into one of your articles by bashing religious preachers, its just not on mate. You’re an influential person and you do a good job of running this site and its a great place to find out TV news in Australia, but in this case I reckon you’re out of line mate. The thing that bugged me that you named it as the first thing you listed on things you found “offensive”…yet your comment is offensive, bigoted and misguided. Whatever, man. Watch your mouth in future.
brilliant. plain and simple.
Its astounding really, how people expect everyone else to do their parenting for them. We make liberal use of the “off” button. We have another tool too, its called “saying no.”
If kiddo wants to watch something and I don’t want him to, I simply say “No.”
I think too many people use TV sets as babysitters.
Ro, the “V Chip” is actually a political buzz-term that originated in the US, to describe a TV that has “parental lock-out” facilities on board. As I said above, all digital TVs in Australia have this already.
In the US it was used on analogue TV with the rating transmitted in the non visible area of the picture that’s used here for Teletext. Parental lock-out functionality on analogue TVs will never happen here simply because analogue TV is obsolete.
Whatever happened to that “V” chip a decade ago that was madatory to be in all tv sets?
I remember Howard extolling its virtues and how it would change censorship on tv but I’ve heard nothing since.
Yes, the off button – so genious it might just work! :o)
One of the recommendations was for a “review of the code that determines what times of day programs with G, PG and M-ratings can be broadcast. “
When did this get changed, anyhow? I always thought the ratings system took into account the “F” and “C” words, so they would only screen after 9:30 when good children should be scooting off the bed anyhow.
I don’t understand why moving Gordon to 9:30 isn’t happening. Oh yeah, ratings = money.
With a list as long as that, do you ever turn the tv on?
matt
I believe the digital TV standards we have in Australia require parental lockout to be provided as standard. So when analogue gets shut down all TVs will have this regardless. There’s no need for new legislation.
David,
Dare I say it – your best piece ever on this site. Well done.
This is just as daft an idea as the last government’s internet filter software for every household. Will they never learn?
David, you’re starting to sound like me 😀
Well said though.
And as I said in my comments to the previous post on this topic, new televisions already are fitted with technology to lock out children – but the catch is that parents have to take responsibility for once and set the facility up.
It’s a very simple process, varying depending on the model of TV/PVR/STB. The parent sets a PIN code, and a censorship rating at which blocking will kick in (from a list of the standard Australian ratings – PG, M, MA etc – and my PVR even has an option for “all”!) The rating is broadcast as part of the program’s digital stream. The digital receiver sees, say, an MA rating and immediately shuts down the video and audio and demands a PIN entry to restore it. Simple and effective for parents who can’t be arsed actually parenting and prefer to let the TV be their babysitter and absolve them of all responsibility.
Naturally no lock-out device of any kind can be applied to analogue TV. But since that’s getting switched off, err, one day, that does not matter. Any concerned Christian parent WILL go digital! 🙂
Oh, and can I add one to your list?
Any co-host who waits for host #1 to finish their script and then fires up a cheesy TV smile and says in that tone of voice that says they’re REALLY smiling, “That’s RIGHT, Greg….”
It’s become epidemic. And yes, I’m looking at you, Zoe Naylor. That’s RIGHT, Zoe. You. 😀
Parents ant it both ways, complaining they don’t have control over their kids and this is one of the simplest things to control, change channel or turn it off!
Pay TV has had parental lockout systems for years BTW whcih I’ve never used once.
Even if they did chance the law and bought in new TVs what happens to all the new ones people are likely to keeps for 10 years, will they get a firmware upgrade to comply (is that even possible?) Then you have DVD recorders and set top boxes, it’s a lot to change.
But it all relies on the parents setting the appropriate level and I bet 99.9% will just leave to open like I do on Austar.