Knights of Columbus institute Turn Off the TV campaign
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Christina Leslie |Correspondent
The N.J. State Council of the Knights of Columbus is urging Catholics to “turn off the t.v.” March 5 to protest the corrupt values reflected in prime time programming. The organization’s Morality in Media program plans a letter writing campaign to network executives and sponsors decrying the content of prime time broadcasts and defending traditional Christian values in an attempt to change what is seen on televisions and timed to coincide with the beginning of the Lenten season.
Daniel Foley, chairman of the Knights of Columbus Morality in Media program and member of Freehold Council 1672 in St. Rose of Lima Parish, explained, “We are launching a state-wide campaign against the types of programming that are being broadcast to our families on a daily basis. We want the networks to give us cleaner and more family-oriented programs.” He cited the profanity, illicit lifestyle choices and sexual innuendo exhibited on programs such as “Modern Family”, “Two and a Half Men” and “Family Guy” as prime examples of networks ignoring morality and basic Christian values in the search for revenue and ratings.
“The decision for [the program] came about because television entertainment these days is bad and getting worse,” Foley, a member of St. John Parish, Lakehurst, continued. “We have allowed the media to run away with its programming. No matter where you turn… it seems that living a Christian life is now the exception to the rule.”
The Turn Off the TV campaign will be kicked off March 5, Ash Wednesday “because it is the beginning of the holiest of seasons, Lent,” Foley explained. “Most Catholics give up something for Lent; we are asking them to include this one-day program to their Lenten commitment.”
Foley and the Knights of Columbus have plans to expand the program beyond the borders of the Catholic men’s organization in New Jersey. “We are hoping to present this program to other Christian organizations and also submit it to our Supreme Council [national headquarters] in Connecticut and go nationwide,” he revealed. “This is the first of many dates on the drawing board. Our ultimate goal is to have more family-valued viewing through better programming.”
The Turn Off the TV program is the Knights’ attempt to declare “enough is enough”, their website, njkofc.org, states. “But just turning off the t.v. isn’t enough,” the appeal continues. “We need to let the networks know what we are doing and why by sending them letters declaring our intent.”
The Knights have linked to a sample letter for program participants which may be personalized and mailed to network executives to alert them to the campaign and urge change. It reads in part, “As an American and a parent, over the past several years I have seen television entertainment go from bad to worse. Profanity is no longer censored, inappropriate sexual content is presented to our children….Promiscuity, depravation and fornication seem to be the lifestyle you broadcast to our families during prime time and we find those broadcasts unsuitable and unacceptable for family viewing.
“It has finally come to the point where I … can no longer stand by and do nothing.” Vowing to turn off television and media to protest the programming objectionable to Christian family values, the letter concludes, “We will not support this type of programming or the sponsors that contribute to it.”
Another web link on the Knights of Columbus website lists the mailing addresses of major networks ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and others with a roster of their programming decision makers.
Finally, the site links to a morality in the media sample pulpit talk for use in church or meeting places. Written to inform Knights or parishioners of the program, it also urges them to take action to reform television and restore family Christian values:
“Brothers, we are in the fight of our Christian lives. We must push back the tides and close the flood gates and return to the Christian values we were taught as children and make it our business to convey those ideals to our children and families. Television and movies are the biggest pornographers of corrupt imaging….
“What we need is a day of rest from the clutches of the media. We need a day to turn it all off… We need to flood the media the same way they flood our homes…. We must support this… and show the media we will not stop until they become more responsible to their viewers…”
The Knights operate dozens of programs under the “culture of life” umbrella, Foley explained. Sanctity of life programs include ultrasound machine funding, baby supply drives, and participation in the annual March for Life, while quality of life programs include Alzheimer awareness, hospital support, and Special Olympics participation. The morality in media campaign falls under the Catholic citizenship programs, along with defense of marriage, letters for life, and the voter registration drive.
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By Christina Leslie |Correspondent
The N.J. State Council of the Knights of Columbus is urging Catholics to “turn off the t.v.” March 5 to protest the corrupt values reflected in prime time programming. The organization’s Morality in Media program plans a letter writing campaign to network executives and sponsors decrying the content of prime time broadcasts and defending traditional Christian values in an attempt to change what is seen on televisions and timed to coincide with the beginning of the Lenten season.
Daniel Foley, chairman of the Knights of Columbus Morality in Media program and member of Freehold Council 1672 in St. Rose of Lima Parish, explained, “We are launching a state-wide campaign against the types of programming that are being broadcast to our families on a daily basis. We want the networks to give us cleaner and more family-oriented programs.” He cited the profanity, illicit lifestyle choices and sexual innuendo exhibited on programs such as “Modern Family”, “Two and a Half Men” and “Family Guy” as prime examples of networks ignoring morality and basic Christian values in the search for revenue and ratings.
“The decision for [the program] came about because television entertainment these days is bad and getting worse,” Foley, a member of St. John Parish, Lakehurst, continued. “We have allowed the media to run away with its programming. No matter where you turn… it seems that living a Christian life is now the exception to the rule.”
The Turn Off the TV campaign will be kicked off March 5, Ash Wednesday “because it is the beginning of the holiest of seasons, Lent,” Foley explained. “Most Catholics give up something for Lent; we are asking them to include this one-day program to their Lenten commitment.”
Foley and the Knights of Columbus have plans to expand the program beyond the borders of the Catholic men’s organization in New Jersey. “We are hoping to present this program to other Christian organizations and also submit it to our Supreme Council [national headquarters] in Connecticut and go nationwide,” he revealed. “This is the first of many dates on the drawing board. Our ultimate goal is to have more family-valued viewing through better programming.”
The Turn Off the TV program is the Knights’ attempt to declare “enough is enough”, their website, njkofc.org, states. “But just turning off the t.v. isn’t enough,” the appeal continues. “We need to let the networks know what we are doing and why by sending them letters declaring our intent.”
The Knights have linked to a sample letter for program participants which may be personalized and mailed to network executives to alert them to the campaign and urge change. It reads in part, “As an American and a parent, over the past several years I have seen television entertainment go from bad to worse. Profanity is no longer censored, inappropriate sexual content is presented to our children….Promiscuity, depravation and fornication seem to be the lifestyle you broadcast to our families during prime time and we find those broadcasts unsuitable and unacceptable for family viewing.
“It has finally come to the point where I … can no longer stand by and do nothing.” Vowing to turn off television and media to protest the programming objectionable to Christian family values, the letter concludes, “We will not support this type of programming or the sponsors that contribute to it.”
Another web link on the Knights of Columbus website lists the mailing addresses of major networks ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and others with a roster of their programming decision makers.
Finally, the site links to a morality in the media sample pulpit talk for use in church or meeting places. Written to inform Knights or parishioners of the program, it also urges them to take action to reform television and restore family Christian values:
“Brothers, we are in the fight of our Christian lives. We must push back the tides and close the flood gates and return to the Christian values we were taught as children and make it our business to convey those ideals to our children and families. Television and movies are the biggest pornographers of corrupt imaging….
“What we need is a day of rest from the clutches of the media. We need a day to turn it all off… We need to flood the media the same way they flood our homes…. We must support this… and show the media we will not stop until they become more responsible to their viewers…”
The Knights operate dozens of programs under the “culture of life” umbrella, Foley explained. Sanctity of life programs include ultrasound machine funding, baby supply drives, and participation in the annual March for Life, while quality of life programs include Alzheimer awareness, hospital support, and Special Olympics participation. The morality in media campaign falls under the Catholic citizenship programs, along with defense of marriage, letters for life, and the voter registration drive.
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