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AL public television pulled 'Arthur' episode over gay wedding plot
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:32 pm
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:32 pm
LINK
Alabama Public Television did not air an episode of the cartoon "Arthur" last week because the plot focused on a same-sex wedding between two male characters, according to AL.com.
The episode, titled "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone," did not fit into the values Alabama Public Television wanted to expose potentially unsupervised children to, said the station's director of programming Mike McKenzie in an email to AL.com.
McKenzie wrote:
"Parents have trusted Alabama Public Television for more than 50 years to provide children's programs that entertain, educate and inspire. More importantly—although we strongly encourage parents to watch television with their children and talk about what they have learned afterwards—parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision. We also know that children who are younger than the 'target' audience for Arthur also watch the program."
In 2005, Alabama Public Television opted not to show an episode that included one character visiting someone who had two mothers, because it "doesn't fit into" the trust the station has built with parents in the state, according to the then-director of programming.
The episode "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone" can be viewed on the PBS website, but Alabama Public Television has no plans to air it in the future. APT ran a re-run instead of the episode when it aired nationwide on May 13.
PBS notified stations in April about the episode due to "possible viewer concerns about the content of the program." McKenzie felt that, since most parents would not know about it in advance, it was best not to air the episode.
"The vast majority of parents will not have heard about the content, whether they agree with it or not," McKenzie told NBC News. "Because of this, we felt it would be a violation of trust to broadcast the episode."
Alabama Public Television did not air an episode of the cartoon "Arthur" last week because the plot focused on a same-sex wedding between two male characters, according to AL.com.
The episode, titled "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone," did not fit into the values Alabama Public Television wanted to expose potentially unsupervised children to, said the station's director of programming Mike McKenzie in an email to AL.com.
McKenzie wrote:
"Parents have trusted Alabama Public Television for more than 50 years to provide children's programs that entertain, educate and inspire. More importantly—although we strongly encourage parents to watch television with their children and talk about what they have learned afterwards—parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision. We also know that children who are younger than the 'target' audience for Arthur also watch the program."
In 2005, Alabama Public Television opted not to show an episode that included one character visiting someone who had two mothers, because it "doesn't fit into" the trust the station has built with parents in the state, according to the then-director of programming.
The episode "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone" can be viewed on the PBS website, but Alabama Public Television has no plans to air it in the future. APT ran a re-run instead of the episode when it aired nationwide on May 13.
PBS notified stations in April about the episode due to "possible viewer concerns about the content of the program." McKenzie felt that, since most parents would not know about it in advance, it was best not to air the episode.
"The vast majority of parents will not have heard about the content, whether they agree with it or not," McKenzie told NBC News. "Because of this, we felt it would be a violation of trust to broadcast the episode."
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:33 pm to Crimson Wraith
What if he were marrying his sister?
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:34 pm to Crimson Wraith
im ready for the consistency amongst poliboard posters when it comes to some censorship. lets hear it.
This post was edited on 5/21/19 at 3:55 pm
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:34 pm to Crimson Wraith
Alternative headline:
“White Christian fundamentalists in Alabama afraid of gay rat cartoon.”
“White Christian fundamentalists in Alabama afraid of gay rat cartoon.”
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:34 pm to Displaced
quote:
What if he were marrying his sister?
You must be thinking of the Louisiana episode.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:36 pm to Crimson Wraith
I wouldn’t want my kids watching it, but the producers need to be hit in the pocket books by viewers, not the government.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:36 pm to 9th life
quote:
im ready the consistency amongst poliboard posters when it comes to some censorship. lets hear it.
When is the pro-life episode?
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:37 pm to Crimson Wraith
Ahh, the classic "no, you are" retort.
Clever...
Clever...
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:38 pm to MeatCleaverWeaver
quote:
I wouldn’t want my kids watching it, but the producers need to be hit in the pocket books by viewers, not the government.
quote:
AL public television
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:38 pm to Displaced
quote:
Ahh, the classic "no, you are" retort.
Clever...
Ask a stupid question, ...
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:39 pm to Displaced
quote:
Ahh, the classic "no, you are" retort.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:39 pm to 9th life
quote:
im ready the consistency amongst poliboard posters when it comes to some censorship. lets hear it
You think the government refusing to air government TV programming is censorship?
The question should by why do we have government TV?
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:42 pm to Crimson Wraith
quote:
When is the pro-life episode?
Right after the episode where Francine gets an abortion.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:44 pm to Crimson Wraith
The most amazing part of this story, is that somewhere in America, actual conservatives are involved in public television. I thought that ship had long since sailed.
Interesting.
Interesting.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:51 pm to Bjorn Cyborg
quote:
You think the government refusing to air government TV programming is censorship?
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:52 pm to Crimson Wraith
Aired in NW FL (Pensacola/Mobile DMA) last week. Got a few complaints, but nothing major yet.
As someone who has seen the show well over a thousand times, the "Ratburn is gay" reveal was probably the most obvious cliche in the history of kids' programming.
If anything, if I were gay I would be offended that they made him conform to virtually every single stereotype about homosexual men...err, rats.
Fussy? Check.
Fastidiously clean? Check.
Overly theatrical? Check.
Gilbert & Sullivan fan? Check.
Lederhosen wearer? Check.
Even Tinky-Winky wasn't this obvious.
As someone who has seen the show well over a thousand times, the "Ratburn is gay" reveal was probably the most obvious cliche in the history of kids' programming.
If anything, if I were gay I would be offended that they made him conform to virtually every single stereotype about homosexual men...err, rats.
Fussy? Check.
Fastidiously clean? Check.
Overly theatrical? Check.
Gilbert & Sullivan fan? Check.
Lederhosen wearer? Check.
Even Tinky-Winky wasn't this obvious.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:52 pm to Crimson Wraith
Good, it’s inappropriate to display an acceptance of mental illness.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:53 pm to Crimson Wraith
AL carrying the water for sane decent Americans.
Posted on 5/21/19 at 3:55 pm to FearlessFreep
He is reportedly a "chocolatier" as well. Not sure if he uses fudge though.
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