The New Standard

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The Crudity Model

“It’s proper to examine how the invective-rich and content-free character of this year’s political discourse is fomented by the business model of U.S. broadcasters. Driven almost exclusively by advertising, the model all but dictates that almost everything on TV be reduced to the lowest level of entertainment.

“In the past, this tended to produce programming of surpassing blandness, reducing the risk that any potential viewers might be offended and thus turn off the set. Today, it produces programming of surpassing crudity, because that’s what sells today. Now that the sex-and-violence of dramas and sitcoms has leached into public affairs programming, the consequences to public debate are inescapable.”

—Michael Hiltzik, columnist, “Les Moonves, CBS, and Trump: Is TV’s business model killing democracy?” The Los Angeles Times, March 15, 2016

• Editorial Comment: “Let’s Make A Deal” meets “The Apprentice.”


PeezPix by Ted Pease

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Ted Pease, Professor of Interesting Stuff, Trinidad, California. (Be)Friend The WORD

“Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” —Tom Stoppard
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