(Vanity) Disclaimer of ABC Family Says It All

grey_whiskers ^ | 07-08-2006 | grey_whiskers

[grey_whiskers]

Just an interesting note. This concerns (of all things) something from offline, which I why I just listed FR as the weblink...

Last night I was watching TV with my family, and I noticed that they had on ABC Family. (We think that the name of the cable channel is a misnomer, given the majority of their programming--kind of in the same way Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher was a misnomer.)

We endured a commercial for an upcoming movie about a best man who falls in love with the woman who is the bride at that wedding. (I guess for ABC, this is "family" entertainment" since he fell in love with a woman, but I digress.)

After the commercial, there was a blacked-out screen with a written and verbal disclaimer: "The following program does not represent the views of ABC Family."
Got that? Not "does not necessarily represent the views, but flat-out "does NOT represent the views."

The show? The 700 Club.

The irony is priceless.

[grey_whiskers]

What liberal bias?

Cheers!

[alnick]

I've noticed that. Every time I see that disclaimer, I mutter to myself, "no kidding."

[raccoonradio]

>>The show? The 700 Club.

ABC Family used to be CBN/Pat Robertson. Sold to Fox where it became Fox Family Channel, then ABC, etc....And I have heard that as part of the deal, 700 Club had to continue to air there.

[raccoonradio]

from Wikipedia: "The 700 Club now airs on ABC Family, part of a contractual obligation originally made when Robertson's "Family Channel" (another cable TV station) was sold to Fox Broadcasting Company"

[grey_whiskers]

Thanks for pointing that out for the readers--I already knew it from other sources.

My point was the peculiar wording of the disclaimer: most groups put in "necessarily" the views, but ABC didn't want any bones about it : These aren't their views..

Cheers!

[Jeff Chandler]

Every time I see that disclaimer, I mutter to myself, "no kidding."

Yeah, as if we couldn't figure it out ourselves.

[Larry Lucido]

Well, frankly, the 700 Club doesn't represent the views of a whole lot of Christians, either.

[L.N. Smithee]

From the Wikipedia page on ABC Family:

---

Following controversial remarks made by 700 Club host Pat Robertson about Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, as well as other comments, ABC Family moved to distance itself from the program, changing the disclaimers before, during, and after the broadcasts from "The following/preceding program is brought to you by CBN" to "The following/preceding CBN telecast does not reflect the views of ABC Family."

The sale to [...] Disney [by Fox, who bought Robertson's Family Channel and renamed it Fox Family Channel] was considered one of the largest mistakes or problems occouring during the tenure of Michael Eisner. The failure was primarily due to the aquisition being done by the strategic planning department of Disney, without consulting anyone at ABC. The original plan was to use the channel to essentially show re-runs of ABC programming, but this plan was completely impossible since ABC had no syndication rights to the majority of their own programs. The next major plan was to reposition the channel to market it to young women or to a more hip audience (under the name XYZ, a reference to ABC), however this was impossible since the company has contracts with cable companies which contain an unbreakable stipulation put in by Robertson that the channel contain the word Family in the name forever, no matter who owns the network.

---

I think Robertson's a jerk, but he's a shrewd businessman. He's been bought out of the cable business, it was to the tune of many millions, and his show will always have a home.

[battlegearboat]

I'm convinced there is a very special place in Hell for all of these religious charlatans on television who swindle gullible victims out of their savings.

Pat Robertson preys on the weak to enrich himself. He is an abomination.

[Skooz]

When I accepted Christ in July 1985, it was while watching one of the "religious charlatans on television."

No Christians witnessed to me. No Christians visited my home to tell me the Good News. Few, if any, Christians, would give me-- a long haired, drug crazed, scary looking 20-something freak-- the time of day.

When I accepted Christ and became born again, I was alone in my living room with the "religious charlatans on television" and my marijuana. The "religious charlatan" led me in the sinner's prayer, during which I wept and repented and asked Jesus into my life.

And there, alone in the room with my pot and the "religious charlatan," Jesus gloriously set me free and gave me a new life. I called the 1-800 number on the screen and was immediately connected with a prayer counselor, who told me about my new life and gave me guidance, advice and prayer.

For the next few weeks, before I found a church home, I watched the "religious charlatans" often and learned much about Jesus, the Cross, redemption, etc.

I thank God every day for the "religious charlatans on television," because if not for them, I would be dead today.

[battlegearboat]

Isn't that special.

[Skooz]

Why, yes, it is.

I suppose your smarminess masks you utter inability to defend your ludicrous initial assertion.

[battlegearboat]

None so blind as those that refuse to see.

You poor sap.

[Skooz]

Let's see:

Before Jesus:

1. Drug addict
2. Laid off from roofing job
3. pointless
4. no direction
5. no car
6. not much to live for


After Jesus:

1. Free from all drugs
2. graduated college
3. great career
4. beautiful wife
5. two beautiful kids
6. two nice cars paid off
7. great home
8. happy
9. successful

Yeah. I guess I'm a poor sap, alright.

Poor poor pitiful me.

[mrs. a]

The Lord DOES work in mysterious ways! If he used the "charlatans' to save you, who am I to second-guess it?

Congratulations on turning it around! Hope your new life continues to be good!

[grey_whiskers]

Well, frankly, the 700 Club doesn't represent the views of a whole lot of Christians, either.

I generally don't watch the show, so I'm not in a position to know *quite* how off-the-wall the views are on any given day. Even so, there is a difference between "when this guys shoots his mouth off, we don't agree" and "we NEVER agree."

Even Pat isn't wrong 100% of the time. He's not Keith Olbermann or The Daily Kos :-)

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

Following controversial remarks made by 700 Club host Pat Robertson about Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, as well as other comments, ABC Family moved to distance itself from the program, changing the disclaimers before, during, and after the broadcasts from "The following/preceding program is brought to you by CBN" to "The following/preceding CBN telecast does not reflect the views of ABC Family."

Even so, I've *never* seen or heard a disclaimer on the airwaves so strongly worded.

From the gay-friendly, anti-nuclear family, liberal bastion at ABC, I understand, though. As I said in another post, even though Pat gets his foot in his mouth so often that he has athlete's tongue, he's not wrong 100% of the time.

As far as the shrewed businessman, I understand (at least at one time) he controlled millions of shares of Ann Taylor (professional clothing for women). And I had heard (never bothered to verfiy) that he is the son of a former US Senator...

I don't watch the show much, since Pat's son often hosts it; and his son does not strike me as the sharpest bowling ball on the rack.

Cheers!

[ishabibble]

I think it is...who are you to judge anybody?

Are you one of those "misery loves company" people?
Skooz told a personal story about how he found his faith and himself,and no matter what you think, it is worth telling.

[Larry Lucido]

Pat actually made sense back when he ran for president, in 1988 or so. Can't say it was a well thought out campaign, but I liked his positions. He started getting loopy later on (IMO).

[grey_whiskers]

Pat actually made sense back when he ran for president, in 1988 or so. Can't say it was a well thought out campaign, but I liked his positions. He started getting loopy later on (IMO).

Agreed on all counts. I remember the MSM's shock and horror when Pat placed 2nd -- 2nd!!-- in the Republican primaries in Minnesota in 1988. :-)

Cheers!