SPECIAL REPORT

The Media Assault on American Values

The conflict between the media,
personal responsibility and respect for religion.
 

SIDEBAR

BY BRIAN FITZPATRICK
SENIOR EDITOR, CULTURE AND MEDIA INSTITUTE

See Executive Summary | See Full Report | PDF Version

USA TODAY’s Top 25 TV Moments of the Past 25 Years
published May 14, 2007

1.         9/11 Coverage (2001)
2.         FOX Network is born (1986)
3.         The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986)
4.         The Sopranos (1999)
5.         NYPD Blue (1993)
6.         The O.J. Simpson Trial (1994)
7.         The Simpsons (1989)
8.         The Cosby Show (1984)      
9.         The Real World (1992)
10.        Johnny Carson’s last show (1992)
11.        Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction (2004)
12.        Dan Rather leaving CBS Evening News (2005)
13.        thirtysomething (1987)
14.        Dawson’s Creek (1998)
15.        American Idol (2002)
16.        Seinfeld (1990)
17.        Ellen comes out (1997)
18.        The Apple commercial (1984)
19.        Dan Quayle and Murphy Brown (1992)
20.        The Jenny Jones Show murder (1995)
21.        The Civil War (1990)
22.        Jon Stewart on The Daily Show (1998)
23.        Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill hearings (1991)
24.        Lonesome Dove/War & Remembrance (1989)
25.        The M*A*S*H finale (1983)

Take a close look at USA TODAY’s “top” moments in the past 25 years of television history, and you’ll see a rogue’s gallery of television shows responsible for undermining American values and moral virtues.

Patriotism: M*A*S*H began as an indictment of the Vietnam War, and later made an art form of ridiculing patriotism, traditional values and the military as symbolized by the show’s villains, Major Frank Burns and Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan.

Responsible sex and marriage: M*A*S*H portrayed American surgeons and nurses serving in a combat theater as if they were taking a cruise on the Love Boat. Seinfeld attacked the principle that sex belongs within marriage. Murphy Brown promoted childbearing outside of marriage, and gave network talking heads the opportunity to ridicule Vice President Dan Quayle for rightly pointing a finger at the show. Thirtysomething, NYPD Blue and The Sopranos all boosted exposure of American families to extramarital sex.  The Real World and Dawson’s Creek broke the taboo against teen sex on TV.  Ellen DeGeneres’s on-screen coming-out party led to an avalanche of openly homosexual characters on prime time shows.  Desensitizing the public by repeated exposure to homosexuality is a central strategy of the homosexual activist movement, and the networks are cooperating fully. 

Modesty: NYPD Blue pushed the envelope by broadcasting naked people having sex, and parade of naked rear ends. 

Decency in language and self-control in conduct: NYPD Blue made television uglier, and The Sopranos took on-screen violence and f-bombing to an even lower level.

Respect for parents:  The Simpsons’ Homer Simpson is far from the first father depicted as a fool on prime time, but Bart Simpson brought disrespect for dad to a whole new level.

Fair and balanced news: coverage of the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill hearings was an incessant promotion of a transparent political smear. The satirical The Daily Show has actually become a news source for millions of Americans, and it’s anything but fair and balanced.  A measure of justice: Dan Rather got his comeuppance after using forged National Guard documents to “get” President George W. Bush.

Personal responsibility: Shows like Oprah Winfrey and Jenny Jones are long on self-centered, feel-good fluff and short on substance.  Oprah herself has personally undertaken many charitable projects, but her show continually turns people to collective solutions to problems.

Purposeful living, serious attitude, work ethic:  The Real World championed purposelessness and the pursuit of hedonism.  The O.J. Simpson trial coverage was an exercise in pure voyeurism.