LIB235 Week 8
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This document discusses obscenity and immorality in media. It begins by defining obscenity as anything that tends to corrupt according to an 1873 US law. It then discusses various tests used to determine obscenity, including the Roth-Memoirs test and Miller's test which examine appeals to prurient interest and lack of social value. Specific examples are analyzed like ads featuring Brooke Shields, the TV show Skins, and music lyrics. The document considers what is acceptable in news and on the internet regarding obscenity. It concludes with discussion questions about analyzing ads and TV shows for obscenity.
LIB235 Week 8
- 1. Week 8 Immoral Tendencies in the Media DR. RUSSELL RODRIGO
- 2. What is Obscenity? What TV/ Netflix shows do you think demonstrate obscenity?
- 3. Immoral Tendencies in the Media 1. Ads 2. TV Shows 3. News
- 4. What is Obscenity? Law of Obscenity passed by US Congress (1873): “Anything that had a tendency to deprave and corrupt those whose minds might be open to such immoral influences”. Leonard Alfred Schneider (October 13, 1925 – August 3, 1966), better known by his stage name Lenny Bruce, was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, and satirist. He was renowned for his open, freestyle, and critical form of comedy which integrated satire, politics, religion, sex, and vulgarity. Lenny Bruce “What is dirty, and what is clean?” 1962: accused for obscenity, not charged. Nowadays, the society is not necessarily a connection between sexually explicit material and social harm.
- 5. Tests to Determine Obscenity US Justice Potter Steward: “ I can’t define pornography, but I know it when I see it. “ (Jacobellies vs. Ohio case, 1964). Is pornography by definition always obscene? Variety of tests determine what is obscenity and what should be censored.
- 6. Roth-Memoirs Test New Definition for Obscenity by Supreme Court in 50s/60s in the Roth- Memoirs Test: Taken as a whole, the dominant theme of the material appeals to an average person’s interest in sex. Material is considered patently offensive based on community standards relating to sexual matters. Patently offensive refers to any obscene acts or materials that are considered to be openly, plainly, or clearly visible as offensive to the viewing public. Assumed a national standard, applicable to entire country. Material possesses no social value at all.
- 7. Miller’s Test The work, taken as a whole, would be found legally obscene, when it: Appeals predominantly to “prurient” (having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters.) interest (jury determines it by community standards). Depicts or describes sexual conduct in a patently offensive way (fact finding again based on community standards) Lacks serious literacy, artistic, political, or scientific value
- 8. Obscenity VS Indecency Is there a difference between “obscene” and “indecency”? Obscene refers to utterance or act that strongly offends prevalent (sexual) morality of the time. Indecent means offending against generally accepted standards of propriety or good taste, improper, vulgar. Use of F-word Example: Bono says the F word on live TV. (Golden Globe Award 2003) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEIWI15F6aA
- 9. Obscenity VS Indecency Indecency is protected but it might be offensive and inappropriate George Carlin American stand-up comedian, actor, author, and social critic. He was known for his black comedy and reflections on politics, the English language, psychology, religion, and various taboo subjects. Seven words you cannot say on television where central to 1978 US Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Nrp7cj_tM
- 10. George Carlin The seven dirty words are seven English-language words that American comedian George Carlin first listed in 1972 in his monologue "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television". The words are: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits.
- 11. Carlin and the US Supreme Court Government has the power to regulate indecent material on public airwaves. Indecency is connected to exposure of children. Indecency is measured by community standards (religious groups) Broadcasting sexual activities or organs Depending on time of the day Public airwaves and less protection Difficult to protect oneself
- 12. Are there pornographic TV shows masquerading as wholesome and feminist?
- 13. Skins = Pornography? “ A wild ride through the lives of a group of high school friends stumbling through the mine field of adolescence and stepping most to the minds as they go. “ MTV Show Skins promotes drugs, alcohol, simulated masturbation, implied sexual assault, and teenagers disrobing and getting into bed together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c23 aSUZpHrE
- 14. Outcome Resulted in controversy regarding teenage casual sex and open drug use. Possible child pornography investigation (a male character was running down the street naked). Withdrawal of advertisers Cancelled by June 2011
- 15. Netflix porn: 9 sexy shows streaming right now 1. The L Word. 2. Sense8. 3. Shameless. 4. Ingobernable. 5. The Tudors. 6. Skins. 7. Californication. 8. The Borgias.
- 16. Advertisement and Obscenity Brooke Shields in Calvin Klein Commercial 1981 One of the many Clavin Klein Jeans commercials featuring Brooke Shields (16) 1981. The famous quote "You wanna know what comes between me and my Clavin's? Nothing.“ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=YK2VZgJ4AoM
- 17. Obscene, Indecent or Art
- 18. Obscenity and Music Lyrics Source: npr.org
- 19. Obscenity and Music Lyrics This dude named Michael used to ride motorcycles Dick bigger than a tower, I ain't talking about Eiffel's Real country-ass nigga, let me play with his rifle Pussy put his ass to sleep, now he calling me NyQuil Now that bang, bang, bang I let him hit it 'cause he slang Cocaine He toss my salad like his name Romaine And when we done, I make him buy me Balmain I'm on some dumb shit, by the way, what he say? He can tell I ain't missing no meals Come through and fuck him in my automobile Let him eat it with his grills, he keep telling me to chill He keep telling me it's real, that he love my sex appeal He say he don't like 'em boney, he want something he can grab So I pulled up in the Jag', Mayweather with the jab like Dun-d-d-dun-dun-d-d-dun-dun My anaconda don't, my anaconda don't My anaconda don't want none unless you got buns, hun
- 20. Obscenity and News Should A news program show nudity if it clearly adds to the news story? Quoting George Carlin style words from an interview? Use of blanks, dashes, and bleeps What is acceptable for the news? Use of colorful languages in sport news Examples: https://www.huffpost.com/topic/obscenity
- 22. Obscenity and the Internet Must determine whether something is sexually explicit and whether this material is obscene. Measured by “community standards” (different in each region of the world) Using the internet, no national barriers are given. 1996 Child Pornography Prevention Act (USA) barres images of children appearing to be under the age of 18 and are engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In 2003, the US Supreme Court required public and school libraries that received government internet discounts to install filters on their computers to block pornography.
- 26. Discussion Questions: How do you judge the kitchen ad from an ethical viewpoint? How do you judge the hospital ad from a similar perspective? Compare it to the first ad.
- 27. Group Task Select a TV show or advertisement and critically analyze if is demonstrating obscenity, indecency, or pornography based on the following; Roth-Memoirs Test Miller’s Test Presentation next meeting.