It’s interesting (and potentially industry-shaping) to see a couple of actions lately from the FCC that seem to indicate it intends to take a more active role in television.First, news broke of a draft memo in which the FCC suggests that Congress can make laws restricting violence on TV, and that doing so would no violate the first amendment. Now comes a report that the FCC will issue a record-breaking fine to Univision for not honoring educational television requirements.I’m a little torn on what to think here.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve been watching the news lately, you’ve seen how 10 days ago the guerrilla marketing campaign used by a third-party PR firm for the upcoming Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie “paralyzed” the city of Boston. I, for one, am happy to know that should America ever actually find itself in a real-life game of Space Invaders, at least the city of Boston is prepared. But as annoying as Boston’s overreaction is–just the latest side-effect of an administration whose re-election hinged on keeping at least half the population fearful–I find myself equally disappointed by the moves Turner Broadcasting has made since the event.

The initial response Cartoon Network made was the right one: “They have been in place for two to three weeks in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards. We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger.”

This is the kind of apology any good boyfriend knows how to make. “I’m sorry you’re upset, honey.” Placating, and yet oh-so free of guilt admission.

I completely understand the need to be overly cautious. I was a classroom teacher long enough to know that when it comes to safety (not to mention lawsuits) you’d better err on the side of overprotection. I also concede that I am in the target demo for ATHF, that being immature man-children who still watch cartoons. Read the rest of this entry »

The trifecta of break-out hits for this season looks like this: ABC-Ugly Betty, CBS-Jericho, NBC-Heroes.

As an aspiring TV writer, I feel that it’s part of my “job” to be abreast of new programs, and especially the ones that are doing well. So it is that I have made an effort to watch the first several episodes of each of these shows. Unfortunately, watching them has taken just that—an effort. While America Ferrera shines, Ugly Bettyoffers all the edgy sophistication of an Archie comic. Meanwhile, Jericho does little more than reflect current American xenophobia in Lost rip-off form.

But it is in Heroes that I am most disappointed.

I’ve always considered myself to be of borderline dorkiness. I don’t own any Lord of the Rings memorabilia, and I have never attended any conventions in costume. (Unless you count the denim shirt and khaki pants dot-com days.) Still, my childhood basement hosted more than one weekend D&D marathon, and I do know the words to the Red Dwarf theme song. I am a fan of sci-fi. So I couldn’t help but be cautiously optimistic at the promise of prime-time, mainstream, high-production-value science fiction programming. Maybe Heroes would offer that feature so rare in the genre… Quality.

Read the rest of this entry »

…just rent How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

Daybreak debuted with an average of about 14 million viewers across it’s time slot. Sigh. You get that it’s Groundhog Day, right?