Posted on 10/18/2002 8:38:41 PM PDT by TommyDale
Sorry for the post, but VH1 just screwed thousands of people who sent them emails protesting their airing of the "Music Behind Bars" program. When they responded, they published every single email address!
Their reply: "Thank you for writing to VH1 and sharing your concerns about the upcoming series, "Music Behind Bars." This show is a documentary that examines prison music programs from across the nation. The inmates profiled in this documentary have been convicted of serious crimes. "Music Behind Bars" was designed to in no way glorify prison life or these programs.
It is important to note that Arnold Shapiro is the Executive Producer of the series, and as the Academy and Emmy award-winning producer of "Scared Straight," he has extensive experience documenting prison life.
Again, we thank you for taking time to write to VH1 and bringing your concerns to our attention. I hope you have a better understanding of "Music Behind Bars," and realize that this series will not be a platform for fame or glamour. The show is simply another way to experience the power of music.
Wow! You mean it's possible to de-select specific channels? Why don't they advertise this?!! What business morons!!!
I pulled the plug 10 years ago because I had to take "the package." Sometimes I get a twinge for some extree sports or the history channel or FNC, but when I think of the garbage I have to let into the living room, I get over it.
I guess it's time for people to start harping after their sponsors. Probably should have gone that direction in the first place. VH1 and MTV represent something of an oligopoly in the music video business marketed on cable, they are likely to be little affected by negative mail/responses sent their way.
Wasn't Arnold Shapiro the same "friend" who Bill Clinton almost choked back stage because the crowd was booing Hillary at the Concert For New York?
Like a window will not be a conduit for moonlight, I guess. Same principle.
However i think what O'Reilly was doing was more than a tad bit overboard! Lately he seems to have taken upon himself the mantle of being the 'public conscience.' Whenever he feels something is inappropriate he steams and fumes, gets on the Factor, and does his best to change it.
There is nothing wrong with that. After all this is America and if he has every right to rant and rave.
However every now and then some person or some entity comes along that refuses to cooperate with Mr O'Reilly and that seems to really piss him off. There are people who have clearly stated they would not waste their time on the Factor, and consequently they become 'cowards' in Mr O'Reilly's eyes. When VH1 refused to remove the program i guess it rubber on O'Reilly in a bad way because unlike Pepsi that rushed to remove that rapper person from rapping in an advert VH1 decided to stick by its guns.
Personally i think what VH1 is doing is at the very least morally questionable (and maybe even that is an understatement). However what i did when the show came up (the VH1 jailhouse rock) is that i exercised my right to take my remote control and change the channel! Simple and end of story.
And i think if someone does not like watching VH1, or CNN, or the Factor then the simple thing to do is to change the channel. In that way 'moral watchers' like O'Reilly are not necessary.
And what i find rather funny is that O'Reilly said the reasons for VH1 showing the program was to get ratings. However what do you think the reason for O'Reilly bringing up the case and was? Moral repugnance or ratings? Well, i will give Mr O'Reilly the benefit of a doubt and say he was truly annoyed at VH1s program. But i doubt that was the only reason.
And the reason i say this is at times i have seen O'Reilly change his position (one time a position he had held just a week ago) just because the person he was interviewing had taken it up. In essence he took the contrarian position just so he could blast the other person. All for ratings, and i have to say it has worked (and i like his show although i consider it 'commentative entertainment' at best).
As for the whole issue with VH1 if they decide to show that program again of those people playing music i will do what i did today ....take my remote control and change the channel (and by the way i do not think i will do even that since i never watch VH1).
However i will not go to my neighbors house and force them to change their channel just because i find it repugnant.
If i find something on TV, the news print, radio, or any other communicative media to be against my liking then what i will do is simply turn it off/flip the page/tunr the dial/ or just go find something else to do. However i do not need O'Reilly (or any other 'moral bellwether') to come and influence what comes to me.
There is a lot of stuff on VH1 (and its sister channel MTV) that is to be honest atrocious when it comes to its detrimental effect on moral fiber, however when such stuff comes up then the thing to do is to vote with your time (by turning to another channel) and with your money (by not buying their products). Simple. However having a person who has changed his position several times become the self-annointed bellwether of American propriety and decorum is at best hypocritical and at worst demagogic miasma (with O'Reilly being the demagogue).
And as for VH1 posting all the e-mail addresses of the people who sent the mail i believe they got that idea from O'Reilly who showed the e-mail address of VH1's president on TV for several seconds and implored his viewers to send her mail. Had he showed the corporate address and told his viewers to send their views using the corporate email address of VH1 i doubt VH1 would have reciprocated with a public exposure of their addresses, but when they showed her public email i am sure what happened is that she shut it down and got another one pronto, and then fired back by publicizing the emails of those who had sent the mail.
Totally juvenile in my opinion (and will probably expose those emails to spam senders and unwanted credit card offers) however O'Reilly started it.
By no means is this to be interpreted as support for VH1. I could care less about them or their prison series.
What is so awful about them posting people's email addresses? Not like it's a social security number or your home telephone number or even your name. All of which people routinely give when applying for this, that or the other thing.
And yes, I do understand that these people did not give VH1 their permission to post their email address.
Like my dad used to say - you play with big boys, you get big lumps.
Snidely
Now those people will get unsolicited spam on their email addresses!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.