Tom & Jerry to be censored?

[STEED]

I am lost for words......

Ofcom's Looney decision over Tom & Jerry's smoking

By MATT BORN 21:19pm 21st August 2006




They are two of television's favourite cartoon characters, who have entertained children and adults for almost 70 years. But now classic episodes of Tom & Jerry are to be re-edited to remove any scenes of the protagonists smoking after the broadcasting regulator Ofcom said they risked glamorising smoking and encouraging children to take up the habit.





However the watchdog's attempt to serve as guardian of viewers' well-being faced a backlash.
Critics denounced the decision as 'ridiculous' political correctness and said it was trying to 'sanitise the art of the past.'
Moreover there were accusations of double-standards: on the same day it ordered Tom & Jerry to clean up their act, Ofcom refused to censure Channel 4 for allowing Sir Elton John to say 'w*****' on comedian Paul O'Grady's daytime chat show.
Despite the singer's swearing attracting 10 times more complaints than Tom & Jerry's smoking, the regulator claimed that the offensive word was 'quite mild' and the outburst merely 'unfortunate.'
By contrast with the rap over the knuckles for Channel 4, Tom & Jerry were clobbered with a frying pan by the TV regulator yesterday.
The decision follows a complaint about two separate cartoons - Texas Tom and Tennis Chumps - that were shown repeatedly on the children's channel Boomerang earlier this year.
In the first episode, Tom tries to impress a female cat by making a roll-up cigarette, lighting and smoking it with just one hand. In Tennis Chump, Tom's opponent in a tennis match is seen smoking a large cigar.
A viewer complained that the cartoons were not appropriate for young viewers - 56 percent of Boomerang's audience is aged four to 14 years old.
Following an investigation by Ofcom, the channel - which is owned by Turner Broadcasting - agreed to go back through its library of Tom & Jerry cartoons and edit out scenes which could glamorise or condone smoking.
However it said any changes would be handled sensitively, warning that to remove all references to smoking might adversely affect the 'value of the animation.'
Ofcom's broadcast code states that smoking must not be featured in programmes made primarily for children unless there is strong editorial justification; and it must not be condoned, encouraged or glamorised before the watershed.
In its ruling, the regulator said it recognised that these were 'historic cartoons' most of which were made between the 1940s and 1960s when smoking was 'more generally acceptable.'
"We note that, in Tom and Jerry, smoking usually appears in a stylised manner and is frequently not condoned.
"However, while we appreciate the historic integrity of the animation, the level of editorial justification required for the inclusion of smoking in such cartoons is necessarily high."
Sir Elton John's outburst came during a episode of Paul O'Grady's live daytime chatshow broadcast in May.
Asked by the presenter about his decision to change his name, the singer said his old name - Reginald Kenneth Dwight - sounded like he was a banker or, making a play on the word, a 'w*****.'
Channel 4 admitted the slip was 'unfortunate' and said that O'Grady apologised later in the show for the 'raucous' nature of the programme.
It said it had also taken the show's production team to task and told them to ensure appropriate language at all times in future.
Explaining its decision not to take further action against Channel 4, Ofcom said that while the on-air apology was not definitive, most viewers considered the offensive swear word 'quite mild.'
However the broadcasting standards campaigners said the decision was 'absurd.'
John Beyer, director of Mediawatch, said: "Ofcom can't see the wood for the trees. Ofcom's own research showed people felt there was too much swearing and violence on television - yet the regulator doesn't want to intervene to ensure programmes meet with generally accepted standards. "Instead, it tinkers with trivial things like cartoons."


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...e_id=1770&ct=5

Here in the US Tom and Jerry, along with the Three Stooges and many other serial shows have been cencored to protect the young and promote the slack willed parents who want the government to do the parenting.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by waste gate

Here in the US Tom and Jerry, along with the Three Stooges and many other serial shows have been cencored to protect the young and promote the slack willed parents who want the government to do the parenting.

I am still lost for words.

I am still lost for words.

Two letters, PC.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by waste gate

Two letters, PC.

Agreed.

[CB..]

Originally Posted by waste gate

Two letters, PC.

yup never was there a more obvious example of the sheer moral lobotomy that is Political Correctness...they can visit in-sane acts of extreme violence upon each other with no problem at all....but light a ciggerette and the sky falls in..it is Orwellian

[snowsub]

Are taxpayers paying anyones wage to go though these old shows just to look for thing to censor

[Pax Melmacia]

T&J still shows in the Asian Cartoon Network. Funny that smoking became an issue, but no one has said anything about 'Mammy', the voluble, lumbering, faceless African-American woman who comes out in early episodes, complete with stereotype accent. (Oddly, later episodes shows the same figure speaking with a thick Irish brogue . . .)

By coincidence, The Daily Show aired just such a Mammy clip from T&J after showing another old clip from The Flinstones puffing away happily on their sponsor's cigarettes.

[Konovalov]

I heard about this story in the car this morning on the way to work and all I can say is, well, what can you say.

Is the Government looking to take over our responsibilites as parents? If so then perhaps their air is to free up our personal time to pursue more important activities such as improving our golf game or sinking that pesky ship or sub in our favourite subsim.

If you really want to be politically incorrect with your kids then I can thoroughly suggest the following. Go to your local bookshop and purchase the book titled "The Dangerous Book for Boys". It is a breath of fresh air in these times and reminds me a little of my fun childhood. I have a copy on one of my bookshelves to pass onto my future son/daughter if I should be so lucky to be blessed with them insh'allah. It's probably not a girls cup of tea unless she is a bit of a tom-boy.

Amazon review: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0...66239&v=glance

A great book even for adaults. Keep it on the coffee table and it will be sure to generate discussion.

[Captain Nemo]

Originally Posted by Konovalov

Is the Government looking to take over our responsibilites as parents? If so then perhaps their air is to free up our personal time to pursue more important activities such as improving our golf game or sinking that pesky ship or sub in our favourite subsim.

Ofcom is not part of the government. It is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. I should know I worked for Ofcom in 2004 for a short period of time. Having said that, I agree with you all that censorship of Tom & Jerry is completely ludicrous.

Nemo

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Konovalov

Is the Government looking to take over our responsibilites as parents?

The Nanny State.

I thought T&J were already censored. All that violence, you know.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I thought T&J were already censored. All that violence, you know.

If you cut out all the cartoon violence out the result would be the opening and closing credits and that's it.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by waste gate

Two letters, PC.

Yeah, I got a PC too. Has a couple monitors, HD, etc. :p All kids should get one who are worried about PC! Nothing censored there!

[CB..]

the problem with Political Correctness is self explanatory..it is that what is deemed correct is decided by Politics and Politicains....in those cirumstances anything can be correct and anything can be incorrect..and it is all governed by what is considered politicaly expedient by the party in power...(and in that case there is an argument for saying that ,regardless of any other consideration, the holocaust was in fact politicaly correct....very dodgy stuff indeed when given it's full leg room) IMO