PBS critic calls on media to promote positive values WASHINGTON (CNS) - Discussion of values belongs in the national dialogue, and the media must recognize the influential role it has in that discussion, PBS-TV critic Michael Medved told a group of church leaders in Washington. rvtedved, cohost ofthe 3D-minute weekly movie review show "Sneak Previews," made his comments in a speech to the Religious Alliance Against Pornography, a multifaith coalition of top church leaders. . The alliance, which met recently . in Washington for its annual conference, aims to fight illegal obscenity and .child pornography, but Medved devoted most of his speech to decrying today's popular culture. "It's not just pornography that destroys," Medved said, "I believe the popular culture destroys destroys hope, destroys, values, destroys the very idea of the family." Medved said he was "not calling for censorship," but for the media to deal with the fact that they convey value messages. . "Images matter," Medved said, because they constitute "values. NEIL PATRICK Harris, star of"Doogie Howser, M. D." being implanted into the souls of (eNS photo) young Americans across the country." He said popular culture bears some responsibility for increasing crime, illegitimate births and suicide among U.S. teenagers. "Much of it," he said, "has to do WASHINGTON (CNS) - ABC- tive failure." In plainspeak, that with the fact that increasing numTV last summer bragged about the .means teenage girls get pregnant bers of young Americans are getf/lct that Doogie Howser would more easily than adults, even when ting their basic standards, their basic vision of the truth from the lose his virginity at 18 on the they're careful. According to the report, even junk,from the garbage they're tak"Doogie Howser, M.D." series. The plot development, which with "perfect" use teenage girls on ing out of their TV sets and their aired Sept. 25, was heralded in the pill have a more than 10 per- . radios and in the movie theaters terms usually reserved for birth cent chance of getting pregnant, and on videos." He cited what he termed anticompared to 6 percent for the announcements. parent messages that say to youths "This year Doogie is going to general population. At the summer previews for that "kids know best." lose his virginity," producer Vic "What concerns me most is the Rauseo told TV writers in Los reporters, actor Neil Patrick HarAngeles in July. But Doogie won't ris, who plays Doogie, said he had continual message undermining get married because he's "too been getting "a lot of flak" because marriage and undermining the family," he added. Doogie hadn't had sex. young" for that, Rauseo said. "Two-thirds of American adults "Kids all around him are doing Executive producer Linda Morris said the episode would be this and he's not," said Harris. But are married," he said, "but how one might expect more depth f~om many films come out in which socially responsible. married people are the heroes?' "Human beings are sexual, and a brilliant physician. Doogie's having sex offers plot Almost none. teenagers are human beings," she "Whenever you see marriage said. "And if you're going to have possibilities. - Wanda could find herself portrayed in movies in 1991," he sex, do it responsibly, do it carefully, do it with a lot of thought." pregnant and Doogie, while con- added, "it's almost a sure indica- . For Tinseltown, responsibility sidering performing an abortion, tion iCs going to lead to murder." means don't have sex with strangers could agonize over ending the life Among films in this category, he and use contraceptives. (Doogie of the extension of his brilliant said, were "Sleeping With the Enemy," "Mortal Thoughts," "A used a condom when he had sex self. Kiss Before Dying" and "De- Dr. Howsercould write child with Wanda before she went off to college.) Permanent commitment support checks at 19. The gesture ceived." Hollywood's promotion offilms could start in 1992 and continue to is a non-issue. on single parents also undermines Ironically ABC, which airs"After- 2010. - The duo could break up, the family, he said. school Specials" for youths on "We have a whole spate of diasuch issues as pregnancy, AIDS Wanda could feel used and Dooand adolescent mental health, gie could say, "Gee, these things pers and formula comedies," he undercuts itself by playing up pre- seem to mean so much more to said, citing "Three Men and a Baby," '''Look Who's Talking," giris than to guys." marital sex. - They could get married now "Baby Boom" and "Little Man Isn't it too bad that Doogie, who was so brilliant he graduated . and divorced at 19. There's no Tate." The message from Hollywood is from medical s'chool at 14, can't stigma to divorce, but it's high on that "babies are great, but they're see that sex belongs in a perman- heartbreak. ent commitment? "Doogie Howser, M.D."became best enjoyed without the inconDid Doogie miss the obstetrics popular without Doogie becom- venient entanglements of marriage. lesson on contraceptive failure rate ing sexually active. If all creator That is a poisonous message to America's young people." among teenagers? Didn't psychol- Steven Bochco can think of for He called on citizens to inject ogy class tell him that adolescents plot development is a little sex, he change so quickly that someone a ought to quit the computer key- "the issue of values into the national dialogue," even if it means .teenager goes ga-ga over in high board. If ABC can't speak the obvious "occasional corporate boycotts, school looks blah-blah a month - the only sure way to avoid pressure." irtto college? "That's not censorship," said Like any good medical practi- AIDS and pregnancy is through Medved. "It's using capitalism, it's tioner, Doogie needs to do research. . abstinence - it ought to give up its For instance, the May{ June 1989 "Afterschool Specials." There's no using your commitment and your issue of Family Planning Perspec- sense in spending millions to be feeling to try to oppose corporate tives touched on the fact that the insightful in the afternoon and irresponsibility." Hollywood leaders need to "beyounger you are the more likely then airing mindless, irresponsible come responsible corporate citiyou are to experience "contracep- programming at night.
Brilliant"Doogie" di~n't think when it came to sex
zens in terms of the cultural environment," he said. "Pollution of the culture, pollution of our young people is just as serious, just as devastating as pollution of the air and the water, and has to be addressed," Medved said. Hollywood "can spin around and turn on a dime," he said, noting the current move to air programs about ecology. He also noted that due to pressure from the AI DS lobby, the use of condoms is appearing in movies and television. "If Hollywood can suddenly turn around and send a message about condoms, then I believe Hollywood can send a message about families, about marriage, about the dignity of marriage, the beauty of marriage - not another film, please, in which husbands and wives batter each other," he said. The meeting also included a brief address by Federal Communications Commissioner Ervin S. Duggan. Duggan applauded alliance efforts and said there was
The Anchor Friday, Oct. 25, 1991
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a' need to promote virtue and self-restraint. He warned, however, that "censorship is not the answer," since, he said, such efforts are "counterproductive" and because "forceful efforts often enlarge the audience for the very thing that is so harmful."
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