William Bennett Essay, Research Paper
In William Bennett?s ?Announcing a Public Campaign Against Select Day-Time
Television Talk Shows?, William Bennett gives his view of the content that is being
displayed on talk shows around the nation and also calls for a review of this type of
programming; or as William Bennett says, ? to raise a hue and cry across the land; to cast
some light on whats being produced and distributed? (Bennett 29). Bennett examines
why a course of action is needed against the entertainment on television and a few
arguments have been established. William Bennett says that, ?What is happening today is
the pollution of the human environment (Bennett 29?, that our minds are being clouded
with story lines that degrade our personality as a society. William Bennett also asks that
the suporters and sponsers of the talk shows withdraw their support and sponsorship, or
at least rethink their promotion, ?To petition men and women of good will- producers,
sponsors, advertisers, and viewers- to rethink their support and sponsorsjip, participation,
and promotion of these programs (Bennett 29)?. Finally, William Bennett says that we
need to save ourselves fom the unethical and unmoral presentation on today?s talk shows;
that we need to save our human dignity, as Bennett says ? We believe that men and
women should not be celebrated when they debase themselves (Bennett 29)?.
Even though William Bennett may be correct on some stances against this sort of
proramming, William Bennett is way
which programs not to watch. William Bennett does make many valid points in why the
material on talk shows should be taken off, but he deosnt have any authority in telling
people to watch this type of show as compared to another. Many of the programs on TV
have gone downhill lately, as it seems that more people will tune into shows based on the
outreaches of society. For instance, more people will probably tune into a show
containing violence than a show directed towards children. Bennett is right in saying that
talk shows do have material on them not suited for people, but it is the viewers choice to
watch it and be exposed to the content. If the viewer thinks the material is too harsh, then
just simply dont watch. If William Bennett takes away our choice of what to watch, what
next will it be, taking away our choice of what to read? There needs to be a screening of
these shows before they are presented to the public, a screening done by responsible
adults of their respected households, but pulling them completely off the air is a time
bomb waiting to go off. William Bennett also seems to look down at the public in his
letter; the letter takes the tone that William Bennett is the highest authority on the
subject, ironically enough, though, William Bennett has never seen a talk show in recent
weeks. In my opinion, William Bennett needs to sit down and actually get in the trenches
on this debate, instead on having his paid employees gather up his argument.