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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-12-11, Page 15Wouldn' o c c% ,l U' t) 7 lublic Library, 5G IiOI�.l 1 .L f, r CrO.deriroh, Ont; AN7A 2G4 expose pigs to TV 6 Television biggest _culprit; • commission urged to cut- SII violence in media • Tlir &bend) ,o (/O''�C��NA rrr..lrbnn x•-4- SIGNA THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 1 , 1975 THIRD SECTION BY SOPHIA' MARTYNI•:C W1!' GHAM ADVANCE -TIMES Which utile, fir•stthe chicken or the egg? Or, in the case of the LaMarsh Commission: is violence in the media the cause or the effect of in creased violence in society? This was the question facing ' about 200 Wingham andl„ area residents last We'd'nesday evening when the Royal Commission on Violence in the Com- munications Industry held its eighth hearing in a series of 38 scheduled throughout the province. • A Ithq.u,gh most of the speakers, and the three members of .the. , LaMarsh $ Commission,' indicated that they 'consider violence in the media the undoubted rause of increased violence in society, there were some dissenting votes. One of these was cast by Jim Currie of W ingham, "Media is a reflection of our society," Mr.. Currie said. ffc explained his concern that the majority opinion through then evening seemed to focus on the media, especially television_ as the reusori"for increased crime in- the country: ""Television has been made a whipping boy here tonight." Mr. .Currie said that the prim.' responsibility 'for the state of today's society, and the first influence on the children, belongs to.p.arents. ' "We do not meet our GDCI s,fudents • tr.hligatiirns," he concluded, u .ferry C'humyn, also o1` Wingham; was the' other dissenting_ voice 'of the evening'. He said Violence in the media is not "the root cause'' -J of the Social .phcnorgenon but the "catalyst". Mr. Chomyn ex ressed hitt concern that pt. lie' opinion suggested- ce sorshjp • of violent shows s a .solution for the problem': "What's r )ing to be next -to go?",he as ed. • Scoft Young, .:who chaired ,the m eting Wednesday, aSsurCMr. Chomyn that the corn fission has, 00 precon- ceiv 'd ridtions for censorship., e're not any red-hot c nsors up here," Mr, Young' He did admit, however, that views aired hy.some speakers , at the hearings did give an' indication that censorship was .not ..unacceptable to many people. • Mr. Young said the major prob ern to' date is the lack of alteinative programming., "lfv you don't. like the violence, where do y,ou go?" he explained. The majority view of the six briefs presented during, the hearing, however, supported the contention that violence in the media -TS' indeed the reason for increasing vio'l'ence and"ci ime in society "It's time•it were stopped, ' Mrs. Jocelyn Daunt of Moles worth' told the corn- niiss'ion. She .. presented a brief on behalf of the �.n�red' at assembly. Molesworth Women's Institute. recommending that steps he taken soon to "cut out a,ll violence in the media', Th.e recorm mendat ions included a pro`osal. that television cameras swing away when fights start during hockey games or other sports. The brief als'oi suggested a' public boycott of products advertised • during the presentation of shows characterised by violence. The print media also contributed, to the problem, Mrs. Daunt said, citing sadism i.n books and maga'zine's and ,•sen- sationalism in newspaper.., reports of crime and violence as examples. "I wish they'd just tell what happened," she said. , r ci Mrs. Daunt, a „mother of five children, told the corn mission 'that her solution at present is to turn off the le'l' \ Ision'set. "I c1c,n't have time to sec' \a, hat ' my children„are wring, ' she explained. ''Thee hest thl'ng to do is to keep It 011 1The••,t view`15 were cilsc, ,~ Lipp Piled by a presentation from the Bluevale• \Vhiteehurch.Pastoral Board, - 'Mrs. Evelyn Demaray told the commission that "lurid dela ils' about crimes rep(Irt((1 in the media pro \ ided a blueprint -for iol(•nt acts. :')'ou just have to read and watch common material on the. media to learn to commit crimes, she said. '*r She said that media is "lavishing attention on e0il and not giving equal time to presenting a distort cd Ie,', of the world. Mrs I)4runt said the medics is also contributing to a orreipti,on of.ideals. "Our children are in crc';tsirlg'ly taking for granted that people arc' expendable. !hat the case j.usti'fies the rued, or at l(,ast it will ;et Lhen1 attention,” she added ' V1rs Genevieve Moore, presenting a list Of recom- mendations from the same gt'oup.• se1ggestc'd a change in the audience r'ating.system to keep _'. good shows on• television. She alai rec)m- nrend'(.>d that viewers he e aired sonic' -how about (continued on page 8B) ti a>.wwo5e..S,*.., .'•4`.Gv. .`YS. tW'd7i;:TF,::A'C.Yx.Y9'� • 4" `'!Vlarlanne Frayne (left) and -,_Wanda Liriner display a special award presented at Mon- (lay's awards assembly to the entire student body. The award was to the cast of Brigadoon and was given by Mr. and Mrs. Jim Temple of the Brig-O-Doon restaurant on The Square. •I'he•presentation was for a terrific all-rouf"i"d effort by the. GDCI teachers and staff in staging their first musical with•such community -wide acclaim. (staff photo) • Dave Redour was named the GDCI‘golf ,champion at Monday morning's assembly. at, 'the ':school. Dave's hrlother Don wasti previous 'winner of th' Fred Rouse trophy' during .his years at GDCi. Don wort the trophy' three tim�'s. (staff photo)' Tlie Mark Barker IVlemorial trophy for the,mgst Valuable senior boys volleyball player was presented Monday morning at the G1)C1 awards assembly to Jeff Baechler (left ). The• ,most valuable junior boys volleyball play er •this season was Ancjty Moore,(right ). (staff u photo) The most valuable girls' basketball players this season were Betty Sowerby (left), junior girls, and, Chris Wildgen, senior girls. The awards ,,were presented at Monday's rw aids assembly w ith ten(I.'rnce. (Staff photo) T the ehtir•i' student body in' at - • Live Yount; men shared`the'football honors at GDCI's fall 'wards assembly Monday morning. They are (back row, left to right) Tim Mclean, who with Toni O'Keefe (left) w ere the most valuable junior players, and Jim Van Osch (centre), the most ca'Iuable junior lineman; (front row, left'.' to, ,right) Gerry O'Brien, most valuable senior football ' player and Al Worgan, most'valuable senior lineman, (staff photo) s•