http://www.care2.com/greenliving/you-say-tv-i-say-csa.html
A Fine TV Ban Brought to You by the French
As a college student, I used to play a fun little word game on road trips called “another fine word brought to you by the French.” This was, obviously, a game of my own device, and required all players to come up with a word that was French in origin (or at least French sounding), that was commonly and widely used in American English. Ballet, vignette, sabotage, clique, along with other countless words and phrases helped pass the long hours between bathroom breaks and gas stations.
I was reminded of this beloved pastime this morning when I read that the French government’s High Audio Visual Council (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel or CSA for short) has effectively banned all programming that targets children under 3 years of age. Another fine ruling brought to you by the French, bien fait!!!
The CSA (not to be confused with Community Supported Agriculture, which I reported on a few weeks back) introduced the ban to counter the ubiquity and insidious nature of baby-targeting programming coming from 24-hour television networks like BabyFirstTV and Baby TV.
The ruling from the CSA claims that, “Television viewing hurts the development of children under 3 years old and poses a certain number of risks, encouraging passivity, slow language acquisition, over-excitedness, troubles with sleep and concentration as well as dependence on screens.” In addition, an MPAA-style warning will accompany any foreign produced or broadcasted program in France that is aimed squarely at infants and toddlers.
While the French Government has a controversial track record when it comes to banning media deemed “harmful” to French culture, I can’t help but politely applauding this ruling, as it is a first line of defense erected between cynical media and impressionable children.
Sure it is a bit heavy handed, and arguably dogmatic, but when it comes to crass marketing and turning toddlers into pin-eyed automatons, I say pull the plug. What is your feeling about this ruling? Is it the declaration of war, or coup de grace, against bad developmental television? Any other fine words brought to you by the French?
Eric Steinman is a freelance writer based in Rhinebeck, N.Y. He regularly writes about food, music, art, architecture and culture and is a regular contributor to Bon Appétit, among other publications.
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24 comments
add your comment »absolutely agree!!! thanks 4 the posting ;-)
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I have to applaud the government for doing so. My mother didn't let me watch one second of tv until I was 3 yrs old and after that I wasn't allowed to watch anything with guns, violence, or harmful implied meaning. So, that meant I couldn't watch Elmer Fud and Daffy Duck cause Daffy was always getting his head blown off by Elmer. And I wasn't allowed to watch many Disney movies, especially Alice in Wonderland with the countless psychedelic drug subliminal messages they had weaved through the movie. All in all I didn't watch much tv as a child and when I did it was short. I didn't have an interest in staring at a tv at that age cause my mom kept me involved in sports or recreation outside or with board games and puzzles.
NOW on a principle issue, I don't think a government should necessarily be making the decisions of parents. My mom managed to bring me up just fine without our government intervening. But perhaps it will bring the facts to the surface that so many parents either refuse to believe or simply don't know.
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I think the goverment has a right to ban tv shows aimed at ages 3 and younger but also beieve it will only help some because it parents are going to let there children watch tv they might let them watch sports. this is a personal example because my uncle would put late night sports on to lu me back to sleep when i would wake in the middle of the night anf he would be the only one to be awake at that time. it is a good thought and try by the french govermant to make parents a little more concscience on how they are impressing their children.
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We use TV without knowing the consequences of what we do. We need TV education for all ages. We need self-discipline. We think we're old enough where 'this doesn't effect us'. Who would take medicine that just made you fell better without reading what it does to you, such as destroying your internal organs? This goes for all media.
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We have government making decisions for us all the time. This one happens to be good. Even thought the principle isn't.
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its never a good idea to have government making our decisions for us. we as humans are intelligent and we never get the benifit of that from our governments. our governments always think they know whats best for us, but that is proven false nearly 100% of the time. so let the people make their own choices and stop shoving their thought down our throats.
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The idea is good, but ultimately it is a parenting issue, and maybe there just needs to be more information out there about the harmful effects of TV on the very young so parents can make educated choices. By the way, we are a republic too (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag ... ) and we elect our senators and representatives to "represent" our views.
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The idea is good, but ultimately it is a parenting issue, and maybe there just needs to be more information out there about the harmful effects of TV on the very young so parents can make educated choices. By the way, we are a republic too (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag ... ) and we elect our senators and representatives to "represent" our views.
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I totally support the spirit of the French law. My kids are 7 and 10 and we get along just fine without cable or a readily accessible TV, which only gets uncovered and rolled out when we watch movies. They like to watch TV, but usually they are busy being "real". To me, they are normal boys, but many adults comment on how articulate they are. I think real activity has paid off big time.
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Thanks to everyone for contributing to a spirited debate about this ruling. As I said in my post, the ban is not an easy proposition to swallow. It brings forth all sorts of thorny issues, like child welfare and ultimate responsibility (as Carrie M had mentioned). I personally feel that the government shouldn't have much of a roll in controlling mass media, but I also see the inherent problem with TV programming that is targeted toward young children, whether it is peddling products or just encouraging passive behavior. As I said, I commend the CSA for taking a stand against much of this programming that pretends it is for the child, when really it exists as a media wolf in sheep's clothing.
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