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Show ee TV14—THE HERALD,Provo, Utah, Monday. June 1, 1981 vv Networks Tighten Reins Continued from Page 12 line or treatmentof the show. they know where we stand, and they know from previous shows.” If a production company creates something the S&P department disagrees with and they don't makeallowancesforit. the networks won't pay for it. CBS Vice-President of Program Practices Donn H. O'Brien said. “Producers don't always agree with us. They say. “Look, it's not going to be as bad asit looks on paper. and they'll shoot it two ways. Maybe they're right. — Maybe it’s worse. Or sometimesthereis something which is unscripted and we have someonein the studio who says, ‘Shootit again." In rare instance. the producers get the upperhand. A few years ago. Bug Yorkin the producer of “Maude.” told CBS that Tandem Productions would pay for the production of two controversial episodes dealing with abortion — if the network would air it. But without “‘Maude’s” high ratings. along with Tandem’s other successful offerings at the time. Yorkin could never have cudgeled the network and won. But for the most part. ‘‘There’s a pretty good spirit of cooperation with most producers," O'Brien said. ‘‘They fight and scream lot. but they really wantus there, because they understand what we're doing. And, quite frankly, not all production companiesarein total control of what they're doing. You get superstar actors and actres- ses who demandthata certainline stays in and they (the directors) love to haveus. the black hats,there to say ‘no."”” Atleast once a year, these gatekeepers travel to the West Coast and meet with the producers. writers and story editors for each series to discuss the network's responsibility and to review the standards of violence and sexual portrayal. Quantifyingsex, violence Since 1977, ABC has been measuring the amount of violencein all its action - adventure shows. Julie Hoover, ABC Vice - President of Broadcast Standards and Practics, East Coast. explains, ‘‘What we do is quantitively and qualitatively weigh the violence that goes in any of these shows. This system was developedinitially by a psychiatrist whois on retainer by the company, andit waslater amplified, after a significant amountof study. by social researchers who were on ABC's ownstaff “I think once you have a consistent. reliable system. your arguments aren't going to come with the producer saying, ‘You rated us wrong.’ We don’t deal with them on the business of. ‘oh. your numberis too high.’ Wealso see the script and we say, ‘Look. there’s too much action in here’ or ‘there is a certain amountofaction in here whichis unnecessary. If it’s critical that you show a robbery. fine. Is it necessary that anyonegetkilled in the robbery? ‘Maybe it’s not.”” NBC's Ralph Daniels though believes that any kindof violence count, “‘totally destroys the idea of a creative product.” Instead NBC's S&P department relies on judicious editing and the other checksalready in place, including the kind of feedback Ms. Hoover mentioned. ‘We don't concentrate on violence,"’ he said. Althoughit is difficult to determine which came first. at about the same time Rev. Wildmon was laying the foundation for the Coalition for Better TV earlier this year. the head of ABC’s Standards and Practices Department. Alfred R. Schneider. wasplanting the seeds for a new ‘sexual evaluation system.’ Designed for ABC's S&P editors by psychiatrist Melvin Heller. and experts in human sexuality Drs. Phillip and Lorna Sorrell. the guide would be used to review contentfor verbal innuendo and visible suggestion. The new standards are expected to be in place by nextfall. Whether or not this system would have been enacted without the Coalition for Better TV, and whateffect this new system will have on ABC's regular series remains unclear. GOODWILL TV Prompt Service Shop or Home Discountto SeniorCitizens 225-7550 798 $. State, Orem 24 Hour- Money Machines—Banking When YOU Need It co Central Bank wants You to get acquainted with the new “24-hour Money Machine®’ that will offer: @ Withdrawals @ Payments @ Inquiries © Deposits @ Transfers See our demonstration modelat the Orem Grand Central Store Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Free Gifts & Drawings DO-IT-YOURSELF JOBS MADE EASY Ask your local lumber or garden supply dealer Permanent Machinesto be located at: Downtown Provo, Riverside Plaza Springville co COMING SOON ! Central Bank “We've got what it takes”’ |