Opinion
| Tuesday, July 2,1991 The Battalion
Pfl
Modern Day Witch Hunts
Editorials
Editorials expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board and do not nec
essarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of
Regents. ^ :
TCA robs A&M viewers
of diverse programming
Last week's decision by Tyler-based TCA Cable to drop MTV from its
service in the Bryan-College Station area is a slap in the face to diversity and
freedom and an affront to the university atmosphere striving to ensure these
principles.
While some viewers may find the content of certain videos "borderline
pornographic," others enjoy the way MTV has been a major advocate of
information on issues such as the environment, AIDS and censorship. Not all
viewers appreciate MTV's commitment to diversity, but then again not all
viewers appreciate ethnically oriented, family-oriented, news-oriented or
youth-oriented channels on the service. TCA, however, does not intend to
drop BET, USA, CNN or Nickelodeon.
The racy or violent material accompanying some of MTV's programming
falls in the same category with daytime soap operas and prime-time dramas.
Yet TCA has chosen to unplug MTV and leave the networks alone.
When a handful of viewers' complaints dictate the options for an open-
minded, scholarly atmosphere, the result must be termed censorship. The
rights and freedoms of college students to choose to watch diverse media has
been denied by a small segment of sensitive viewers.
On the other hand, if TCA's real reason for dropping MTV is financial, it
should not deny the public this information. In a community where seeking
truth and knowledge is important, it is an insult to be misled about the
situation.
Although it is too late for TCA to keep MTV as part of its service, we feel
the company should reinstate diverse programming and protect the viewing
rights of open-minded individuals. Moreover, we ask TCA to be honest with
its subscrioers about the reasons behind its censorship of media.
The Battalion Editorial Board
The Battalion is interested in hearing from its readers and welcomes all letters to the
editor. Please include name, classification, address and phone number on all letters.
The editor reserves the right to edit letters for style and length. There is no guarantee
letters will appear. Letters may be brought to 216 Reed McDonald or sent to Campus
Mail Stop 1111.
Responsible decisions require discussion
EDITOR:
"Why should a bunch of MBA students argue so fervently about MTV," I
thought to myself on entering my 10 a.m. finance class. "Are they shocked
about Madonna's 'Truth or Dare,' or are they lashing out against rap music's
growing popularity?"
To my astonishment, I realized the conversation was about the cable com
pany's decision to "do away with" MTV.
Where is freedom and choice? What about maturity and responsibility?
What kind of attitudes are gaining control?
The decision of TCA Cable to ban MTV, without even surveying its thou
sands of customers, because of pressure by a single group is a reflection of a
trend we are witnessing currently in this country. This trend fails to recognize
the importance of choice in forming a responsible population.
If there is no choice, people merely follow, there is no more room for
thinking. But only through thinking, considering others' opinions, reaching
responsible agreements that are beneficial to all involved, does a person be
come aware, responsible and mature.
I suppose the people who demanded the withdrawal of MTV from TCA
Cable's offerings never considered the implications of their action. If they do
not want their children to watch it, it is their responsibility as parents to edu
cate their children on how to make responsible decisions. They should talk
openly with their children to find out why the young people want to watch
MTV, what do they gain by watching MTV. As parents, they should also ex
plain to their children the drawbacks of watching MTV. Through this dis
cussion, the family should reach a conclusion acceptable and beneficial to all.
This process of communication should guide all family discussions and deci-^
sions.
By demanding no more MTV, the parents are in fact accepting their failure
to educate their children. They are accepting their failure to understand their
children and they are proclaiming their unwillingness to even try to under
stand their children.
Christina Maimarides
graduate student
TCA made a sound business decision
EDITOR:
Facts are very important to an argument. First and foremost we must clear
up the censorship question. The fact is TCA is a business, and if they choose
to remove a program, they have every right. MTV has a high cost to the own
ers to provide this programming to one group of viewers. On the other hand
members of the other group have the power to express their feelings by
canceling their subscriptions.
I was surprised to see that so many students wanted their MTV. I used to
watch it back in my teen years and enjoyed it very much. Obviously we grow
and things change, such as MTV's choice of music. I tend to watch it less and
less as years go by, and this has also happened to almost everyone I know.
With studying and extracurricular activities, how can anyone spend time
watching MTV enough to miss it?
The cost to TCA is too great to provide this channel to college students
who come and go. The "moral majority" truthfully is too important in com
munities to continue MTV programming. How many people really sit and
watch it?
Both sides have valid arguments, but a business must survive.
Timothy E. Raines '92
EDITOR:
We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to TCA Ca
ble for their conscientious decision to remove MTV.
We would like to express to those of you who would shout censorship that
MTV, not TCA made the decision not to become a paid subscriber channel.
Call them with your complaints.
We feel the decision made by TCA is a logical step that supports the family
and Christian values that are so predominate in the Bryan-College Station
area.
Pete A. Fazzino
Cynthia L. Fazzino
Does MTV really matter? No!
s I sat watching the few
remaining glimpses of MTV, I couldn't
help wondering how many people
were doing the exact same tning. By
the comments proffered by many
members of this community, I could
imagine that many were tuning in to
get their last drops from the music
video fountain.
I have a message for all of you MTV
junkies, parents of MTV junkies, free
speech defenders and other interested
students: GET A LIFE! Let me put
things into perspective for everyone.
Ever since TCA Cable Inc. publicly
announced MTV was going to be
withdrawn from the air locally,
Aggieland has gone bonkers.
Angered by the MTV contract
failure, hundreds of students,
teenagers, parents and faculty
members have bombarded the city
council members, the radio stations,
the newspapers, the television station
and the administrative offices of both
municipalities with phone calls
instructing TCA what it can do with its
ideas about decency and responding to
customer requests.
And get this: there was actually a
group of students and local residents
that picketed at the TCA offices on
Saturday. Yes, some 40-plus members
of Aggies Against Censorship spent
some serious study time to make signs
with slogans like "Honk If You Want
Trey Jacobson
Columnist
Your MTV," only to walk in a circular
ath in front of an empty office
uilding.
Other students avoided the fun at
the TCA offices and wrote letters to the
editor of this and other papers. Many
more students decorated the rear
windshield of their cars with shoe
polish announcing their desire for the
ten-year old video channel.
This one-time business decision has
been called unethical, censorship, a
violation of equal rights and an
infringement on free speech.
Regardless of how apocalyptic it may
or may not be, everyone has gone way
overboard on this issue.
No better is this demonstrated than
through our local media. Although you
wouldn't know it by reading the
headlines of The Battalion or The
Eagle, there have been other major
world events occurring that do not
revolve around music videos, morals,
censorship and pornography. A quick
glimpse of the local newsstands would
have shown how unbelievably skewed
this issue is within the confines of
Brazos County. While every major
newspaper in the state carried news
about the vacancy on the Supreme
Court or the revolution in Yugoslavia,
the TCA-MTV rift got top billing in
Bryan-College Station.
And as important as these other
events are to national and world
history, I cannot find a single
windshield emblazdned with "I want
my favorite black female judge on the
Supreme Court" or "Stop Censorship
in Belgrade." The point being
belabored here: this entire issue has
been blown way out of perspective. We
are talking about the elimination of a
television broadcast channel, not your
mother.
And the ironic thing is that no
decision is final here. TCA claims that
they are still trying to reach an accord
with MTV as I write. Perhaps MTV will
return to grace your television set once
again. Then again, maybe it won't. If it
doesn't, then you can see it after you
graduate and get a job in another city.
Heck, that can't be much more than
four years for most of you. Surely
you'll still love "Yo! MTV Raps" even
as a full-time employee with the XYZ
Corporation. Perhaps your boss will let
you take off early so you can catch
"Downtown" Julie Brown on "Club
MTV" circa 1995. Regardless of the
outcome in B-CS, one should ask
oneself, does it really matter? The
answer should be obvious and
embarrassing: no.
Trey Jacobson is a graduate student in
public administration.