From the silver screen to the airwaves, studios and entertainment companies continue to push indecent material to viewers. Today’s news reports FOX’s unwillingness to pay a $91,000 FCC fine for indecent exposure during a 2003 episode of “Married to America”.
This from a network that loves to tout it’s conservative or traditional bias…
ClearPlay, the only edited movie service specifically shielded by the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005, was recently recognized by Top Ten Reviews for having the highest rated product in the movie and TV filtering category.
“ClearPlay is an excellent movie filtering product and service,” noted Top Ten Reviews. And after evaluating usability, the review noted that “the ClearPlay DVD Player is easy to set up and downloading movie filters from the ClearPlay website is a breeze.”
“It’s always gratifying to be recognized,” said Lee Jarman, ClearPlay CFO. “Top Ten Reviews is highly respected for the comprehensive nature of their evaluations and the integrity of their approach. We greatly appreciate receiving their best of class Gold Award.”
It’s same story, different verse for edited movie companies who rent NetFlix style. FamilySafe has ended its rental business, liquidating its remaining inventory. All edited movies available for sale are $20 or less, so its a great time to grab a few good copies before its too late!
Sadly, this marks the end of services providing edited movies for rent. Within a year, we saw the closure of CleanFilms, CleanFlicks, Flick’s Club, and FamilySafe. Family Edited DVDs continues to offer movies for sale, but users can no longer rent edited titles.
Yes, unfortunately the suit decided by Judge Matsch in Colorado resulted in many losers and no winners. As Hollywood’s revenues continue to track downwards, its unfortunate Hollywood did not embrace edited movies in effort to maintain relationships and revenue.
GoodMoviesOnline.com has jumped into the fray of edited content recently. While I am in the process of completing a full write-up and edit review, I thought I should briefly describe the services of GMO.
GMO does not rent movies, period. It sells full length retail copies, and provides its buyers with free copies of the movie which are edited for content. I am not a lawyer, but I do not believe that GMO satisfies the qualms of District Judge Matsch from last July’s ruling against Cleanflicks, et al.
What say you? Is GMO a new company that can succeed with this model, or the same old song and dance that is destined to be shut down?
Beginning this month, ClearPlay DVD players and subscriptions will be offered in Target stores across the country, and from the retailer’s website. ClearPlay hopes that in the coming months, additional agreements can be made with other big-name retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart. This marks a major step forward for ClearPlay, and should continue to raise awareness to consumers that they have a choice when it comes to movie content.
“Consumers have responded very enthusiastically to the ClearPlay product. It makes movies a better experience for many families that are concerned about offensive content in their homes,” said ClearPlay CEO Bill Aho.
The CP-007 ClearPlay DVD Player uses a USB FilterStik to transfer movie filters from a PC or laptop to the unit. This eliminates the need for a telephone line, and should make it easier for users to quickly load new filters. ClearPlay currently offers filters for over 2,200 movies, and adds new filters each week.
From the AP:
PROVO, Utah — Film editors were back in the cutting room just a few months after a federal appeals judge ruled last year that they could no longer edit movies to make them acceptable family fare.
Thanks to what they say is a loophole in copyright law that allows cuts for educational purposes, some of the companies that were ordered to turn over their inventory to Hollywood studios instead are scrubbing more movies, and other firms are getting into the market.
Over the years I have used several online resources to determine the content of a movie before paying the ever-increasing ticket price. After all, nothing is worse than paying eight bucks for a movie and then discovering twenty minutes into the film that the language is unbearable, or the content is obscene. Here are some helpful resources I use currently or have used in the past:
For years this website has helped concerned viewers make wholesome and informed decisions about the video content the watch. We have watched as the entertainment industry has down-spiraled into filth and vulgarity, even as movie ratings and sales slumped.
As a new study published this week details, I’m reminded how the battle is not limited to the television set. In this month’s journal of Pediatrics, a study shows that more than 40% of kids ages 10-17 view adult material on the web. In addition, a majority of the 40% said they were not seeking to view adult material, but happened across it.
As discovered by Nathan at a local video store, the fact remains that six months after the pivotal judgment issued by Judge Matsch, some companies that were not specifically named in the suit continue to operate. The question is, do such companies have a moral responsibility to cease operations, since their methods have been shown to be illegal?
Personally, I have to say yes. Do I believe in what they are doing? Of course I do…I’ve been a strong supporter from the beginning. But I also believe in the rule of law, and submitting to authorities. In my opinion, these companies would serve themselves better in the long-run to cease operations and spend time and money lobbying congress for legislation that is fair and family-friendly. Is it not hypocritical to cry to Hollywood for morality in movies while operating a business that is shown to be illegal?
On the November 21 episode of CNN Headline News’ Glenn Beck program, the host interviewed A-list film maker Jerry Bruckheimer (Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, 24, Deja Vu, etc.). As the five minute discussion came to an end, Beck, a self-proclaimed Mormon, asked Bruckheimer about releasing PG-versions of R-rated movies. Here’s a copy of the transcript: