Show Horizon Editorial Television Must Police Themselves WHETHER it is television movies or videos violence in our society has reached an time all high and it doesn't appear to be waning Emergency meetings gs are being called in neighborhoods combat ganga mayors are denouncing violence legislatures are making laws and yet the streets still arent aren't safe One of the hardest hit areas of entertainment entertainment entertain entertain- entertainment ment is the television medium especially in light of recent controversies surrounding shows as ABCs ABC's BC's Blue and MTV's Beavis United States Attorney General Janet Reno has come out hard against the television market stating Instead of disseminating disseminating disseminating dis dis- dis- dis the best in our culture television too often panders to our lowest common denominator She also has put the television industry on warning by suggesting that every three months a report be made outlining the amount of violence within their program program- ming If that number is too high the station is asked to re-examine re their up line-up and nd make the decision for themselves If they dont don't look at their programming Reno has threatened legislative involve involve- ment Governmental intervention is neither the best option nor the first we should try Reno said But if significant voluntary steps are not taken soon government action will be imperative What takes precedence the First Amendment right to free speech or or orthe the societal o. o i J right to be protected ted against harmful harm hann- ful programming The Horizon feels that censorship in any form fonn is not only unconstitutional but unac unac- The solution of moving programming programming programming program program- ming to a later time to grab it out of the at attention attention attention at- at of younger viewers is reasonable but legislative action is not the way to approach approach approach ap ap- ap- ap such an epidemic Allowing the television stations to police their own actions actions actions ac ac- is the only way to assure that all rights of all ail Americans are protected Its It's up to the industry to define e if their violent programming is too violent If people respond with letters and opinions or simply turn the channel companies who advertise advertise advertise ad ad- vertise with the station will pull their funds This sends a message directly to the heart of the TV market their pocketbooks That is a amess mess message ge anyone can understand The Horizon stands behind Janet R Renos Reno's nos no's plea to the TV industry to clean up but we feel her legislative involvement at this stage is premature and heavy Conscience and morality may be foreign words to the programmers of today but violating the Constitution and Bill of Rights is a far worse crime than the one w we weare are fighting |