'Californication' - sleaze on TV
STATUS: Series completed October 2007
_________________________________
The name says it all - the focus on this four part 'comedy/drama' currently being screened by Channel 10 is sex. The program, which began on Monday night, 27 August 2007, is all about sex - and pornography! The Herald Sun reported "The first episode of the racy comedy featured four sex scenes -- one involving violence and statutory rape (sex with a teenage girl) -- copious nudity, teenage drug use and constant foul language in its 32 minutes."
In the USA the series was made and screened by 'Showtime' - a pay TV company.
Here it is being shown on 'free-to-air' TV. That is a very different situation!
The series ran for 12 weeks, so is now OVER! [But another series is being produced in the USA!]
However, ACMA is still to hand down its decision on whether the program breached the braodcasting guidelines, so we will leave this as an 'active' campaign until then!
15 October 2007: Good News - The Australian Communications and Media Authority has agreed to investigate complaints made against the program to see if it breached the code of practice. Unfortunately this may take them several months! The system needs to be changed.
_________________________________________
Advertisers withdraw ads - Good News!
Salt Shakers and other Christian groups - including Festival of Light and the Australian Christian Lobby - have been asking advertisers if they are aware their ad was shown on the program and asking them not to have their ads on the program.
SIXTY-FOUR companies have now said they have asked Channel 10 NOT to show their ads during the program. Thank you!
The companies are Holden, Holeproof, Spotlight, Arnotts (ads for Tim Tams and Campbell's V8 Juice), Telstra, Panasonic, Johnson & Johnson (Benadryl, Listerine), the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Net Alert, IKEA, Bunnings, Coopers Brewery, Bank SA, Cash Converters, Baby Love Nappies, Hardie Grant Books (publisher of Antarctica by Jason Kimberley), Bridgestone, Aussie Home Loans, Mitre 10, GE Money, ACTEW AGL, WOW Sight and Sound, GlaxoSimthKline (ads for Macleans and Polident ), Perth Royal Show, Nestle (Milo), Snooze (formerly Capt'n Snooze), Toowoomba Special Vehicles, Gladstone Marine Centre and Cooper Mackenzie Marketing, Clark Rubber and CE Office Concepts.
The latest companies to ask Channel 10 NOT to show their ads in the program are: AAMI, Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse, A D^Zign, Highland Fling Restaurant (both Toowoomba), Bluescope Steel and S C Johnson (who had ads in the early episodes for Duck Magic Scrub (Melb, 10/9), Windex Window Cleaner (Adelaide 3/9), Duck Liquid Toilet Cleaner (WA, 3/9), Glade Clean and Pure (WA, 3/9).), Fernwood Women's Health Clubs, Colgate-Palmolive, Autobarn, Dr Tims, Price Attack, Gosford Quarries, Steve Forde tour, - Bundaberg brewed drinks, Big W, Ezy DVD, General Mills (Old El Paso), Colorific, Skippy's Early Learning Centre, Kimberley Clark (Huggies nappies), Mutual Community Health Insurance (SA), Fantastic Furniture, Volvo and The Chronicle (Toowoomba).
The latest (up to 15 Nov 2007) are Simplot (Leggos Pasta Sauce), Mt Barker Chicken (WA), Nads (LifeSource Group Pty Ltd), Myer, Kellogg's, Health World - Inner Health, Toowoomba City Council (Waterwise), Crazy John's (mobile phones).
Other companies have told us they told Channel 10 not to screen their ads but asked not to be listed! Other companies have only had one ad - although they didn't reply they had no further ads.
Some more interesting developments include:
* Some of the companies say they have a 'Code of Conduct' and say this program doesn't match their Code of Conduct.
* Others say it is against their family values as a company...
* Some advertising agencies are now advising their clients (companies) not to advertise on the show...
Consistent repeat advertisers who justified their ads on the basis of demographics - who is watching the show - include Pure Blonde (Fosters), Reckitt Benckiser (home cleaning products), Procter & Gamble (shampoos etc), Ferrero (Kinda chocolate), Hungry Jacks, Nova, Hyundai, Coca Cola and Ashley & Martin, Schick (EAPL) and Dixon Homes.
What products do you buy???
Status Update: The first series of 12 programs finished on 12 November 2007.
Thank you to all who contacted the companies. And thank you to all the companies who decided they did not want their ads on this show!
___________________________________
A description of the program and suggested action for the campaign is listed below for your information.
Andrew Bolt , writing in the Herald Sun, called the show pornographic and said the men who run Channel 10 (Executive Chairman Peter Falloon and Chief Executive Grant Blackley) are 'pornographers' for showing the series. A link to his article is below.
The program was rated MA15+ and advertised for 'adults' and was shown after 9.30 pm (at 9.45 pm). However there are many teens still watching TV who would be exposed to the program.
Was there a story line?
It seems the character is fed up with his life and is looking for meaning away from all the sex - but the program then shows all the sex!
For Christians, an additional offensive factor is that the first episode began with a scene showing a dream where the leading character is having sex with a nun in a church.The producers would not have denigrated Islam (or any other religion) in such a way.
Several family and Christian groups have complained about the program. Salt Shakers and Festival of Light and Salt Shakers have been co-ordinating the campaign to contact advertisers.
Various media articles are linked in this page. Some INVITE YOUR COMMENTS.... and you can comment on Andrew Bolt's blog about his column.
ACTION is vital...
S ee the Action section towards the end of the page - for writing to Channel 10 and the companies whose ads appear on the show.
______________
First some Updates:
Update: 5 September - 'Californication' continues...
Catholics and others in Sydney have held candlelight vigils outside Channel 10 in Sydney while the show is being broadcast.
Some Christian groups have called for a boycott of advertisers. Channel 10 says it has not affected them - no advertisers have withdrawn... However we know that a company whose ads were shown during the program in South Australia have said they will not have their ads shown during the show. Thank you to all of you who acted on this!
Media Articles:
Calls for boycott of vomit-laden 'Californication'
Nine MSN. Tuesday Sep 4 2007.
Californication 'OK with advertisers'
The Australian, 5/9/2007.
Update: 6 Sept 2007 Contacting advertisers
Last week we asked you to write to Holden and Holeproof whose ads were on the first episode of 'Californication' in Melbourne.
Good news! The media has reported that their ads have been WITHDRAWN!
Today we have sent out by email a full list of advertisers in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and some from Sydney.
Even the Daily Telegraph phoned companies to see what they thought - most were unaware their ads appeared and some were NOT happy!!!
Advertisers withdraw after Californication chastised
Daily Telegraph, 6 Sept 2007
Holden and Holeproof withdraw ads from Californication. Other companies contacted by the DT are NOT happy!
Ads pulled on Ten's risque new show
The Australian, Nicola Berkovic | September 05, 2007
"NERVOUS advertisers have distanced themselves from the Ten Network's risque new hit series Californication, which has prompted religious groups to threaten a boycott of companies sponsoring the show. Holden and Holeproof, which had advertisements placed by the network during the first episode screened last Monday, said they would ask Ten not to use their ads on the program again...."
Advertisers shocked by 'Californication'
Nine, 6 Sept 2007.
"Advertisers for a children's movie are among several companies shocked their commercials have appeared during Network 10's raunchy sitcom Californication...."
Update: 13 September - More advertisers withdraw
There are now twenty-three companies who have withdrawn from the show. Full list above.
A list of all the advertisers in Melbourne and some other states - for 3 and 10 September - is attached below. Just open the document and contact the companies - check the 'Success' list before you write!
________________________________________
What can we do?
Take ACTION!
1. Write to Channel 10
Ask them not to show the rest of this program.
Click here for the program website.
Click here for the list of contact addresses for Channel 10.
Phone the station nearest you and complain - then send a letter (no emails available).
The website above explains the Code of Conduct and complaint process.
This is run by FreeTV - Click here for their website for the actual Code of Practice.
2. Write letters to the newspapers
Comment on the explicit sexual nature of the program and its attack on Christianity.
Click here for email addresses for newspaper letters.
3. Write to the advertisers on the program
Write to ALL advertisers - on 6 September we sent out lists of advertisers in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney. We have also done lists of advertisers for the show on 10 September. These are attached BELOW.
Please open the documents and contact the companies! Politely ask them if they knew their company was advertising during this program.
Tell them about your concerns about the program and ask them NOT to advertise on future programs as it is their MONEY that enables the TV station to show the program.
See the attached lists for the companies and their contact details...
4. Contribute to the Channel 10 FORUM
Channel 10 has a FORUM about the program 'Californication' on the Channel 10 website. Click here.
Media Articles:
Californication shocks TV viewers
Article from: Herald Sun, Nikki Protyniak and Darren Devlyn, August 29, 2007
This includes a FORUM where you can make comments.
How low can we go?
Andrew Bolt, Herald Sun, 29 August 2007.
[WARNING: This article contains graphic language of a sexual nature]
Add your comments as well...
|
Take Action 