But all the bad guys will still be seen smoking in these cartoons. Only the good guys will get edited out.
http://animatedfilms.suite101.com/ar...assic_cartoons
http://animatedfilms.suite101.com/ar...assic_cartoons
Turner Broadcasting announced that they were reviewing thousands of old Hanna-Barbera cartoons, which include The Flintstones, Tom and Jerry, The Jetsons, and Scooby-Doo, to delete any scenes that glamourize smoking.
This comes in the wake of a single complaint to British media regulator Ofcom, about two cartoons, which appeared on the Boomerang channel. Turner Broadcasting owns the child-friendly channel.
"This is a voluntary step we've taken in light of the changing times," said Turner spokeswoman Yinka Akindele, adding the Ofcom complaint had prompted the review.
The unidentified complainant said that scenes involving smoking in two Tom and Jerry episodes "were not appropriate in a cartoon aimed at children."
In the 1949 cartoon short "Tennis Chumps," an opponent chomps on a cigar. In 1950's "Texas Tom," the hapless feline tries to impress a pretty kitty by rolling and lighting a cigarette with one hand.
There was no word on whether the viewer found the cartoon duo's violent tendencies (often assaulting each other with axes, hammers and dynamite) to be inappropriate for children.
"We note that, in Tom and Jerry, smoking usually appears in a stylised manner and is frequently not condoned," said Ofcom in a statement, admitting the cartoons were made in a time when smoking was more socially acceptable.
"However, while we appreciate the historic integrity of the animation, the level of editorial justification required for the inclusion of smoking in such cartoons is necessarily high."
Animation writer Mark Evanier (who I've only recently heard of, but whose editorials send hosannas through my skull) pointed out what's most likely going on.
"You don't start chopping up your old cartoons in response to one complaint about two scenes," he writes in his blog. "You do it because someone high in the company says to someone else high in the company, 'You know, one of these days, we may have a problem with this.' For some reason, when (the cartoon owners/broadcasters) make these decisions, they like to make it sound like they had no choice in the matter; that they gave in to public pressure, even when that pressure was close to non-existent. It's an excuse to take an action that is probably more economic than idealistic...and to make it sound like an act of social responsibility.
"Which brings us to one of the little lies of the animation business...to protect the future marketability of their wares, some producers are way too willing, even eager to launder their shows and cut out anything that might be controversial."
This kind of decision has backfired before. In 2002, The Cartoon Network (which Turner Broadcasting also owns) announced that they would no longer air old Speedy Gonzales cartoons, saying that they perpetuated an offensive stereotype of Mexicans.
Mexicans however, disagreed. They told the network in vast numbers that they loved Speedy Gonzales and wanted him back. An embarrassed Cartoon Network did an abrupt about-face and returned the rapid rodent to the airwaves.
Animation fans have already complained about the decision on their blogs. It remains to be seen whether Turner will stand strong, or reverse this recent decision. Either way, it's 100% likely that they will follow the money.
Read more: "Smoking banned in classic cartoons: Turner edits cigarette references in Hanna-Barbera shorts" - http://animatedfilms.suite101.com/ar...#ixzz08s8TMHWT[/
This comes in the wake of a single complaint to British media regulator Ofcom, about two cartoons, which appeared on the Boomerang channel. Turner Broadcasting owns the child-friendly channel.
"This is a voluntary step we've taken in light of the changing times," said Turner spokeswoman Yinka Akindele, adding the Ofcom complaint had prompted the review.
The unidentified complainant said that scenes involving smoking in two Tom and Jerry episodes "were not appropriate in a cartoon aimed at children."
In the 1949 cartoon short "Tennis Chumps," an opponent chomps on a cigar. In 1950's "Texas Tom," the hapless feline tries to impress a pretty kitty by rolling and lighting a cigarette with one hand.
There was no word on whether the viewer found the cartoon duo's violent tendencies (often assaulting each other with axes, hammers and dynamite) to be inappropriate for children.
"We note that, in Tom and Jerry, smoking usually appears in a stylised manner and is frequently not condoned," said Ofcom in a statement, admitting the cartoons were made in a time when smoking was more socially acceptable.
"However, while we appreciate the historic integrity of the animation, the level of editorial justification required for the inclusion of smoking in such cartoons is necessarily high."
Animation writer Mark Evanier (who I've only recently heard of, but whose editorials send hosannas through my skull) pointed out what's most likely going on.
"You don't start chopping up your old cartoons in response to one complaint about two scenes," he writes in his blog. "You do it because someone high in the company says to someone else high in the company, 'You know, one of these days, we may have a problem with this.' For some reason, when (the cartoon owners/broadcasters) make these decisions, they like to make it sound like they had no choice in the matter; that they gave in to public pressure, even when that pressure was close to non-existent. It's an excuse to take an action that is probably more economic than idealistic...and to make it sound like an act of social responsibility.
"Which brings us to one of the little lies of the animation business...to protect the future marketability of their wares, some producers are way too willing, even eager to launder their shows and cut out anything that might be controversial."
This kind of decision has backfired before. In 2002, The Cartoon Network (which Turner Broadcasting also owns) announced that they would no longer air old Speedy Gonzales cartoons, saying that they perpetuated an offensive stereotype of Mexicans.
Mexicans however, disagreed. They told the network in vast numbers that they loved Speedy Gonzales and wanted him back. An embarrassed Cartoon Network did an abrupt about-face and returned the rapid rodent to the airwaves.
Animation fans have already complained about the decision on their blogs. It remains to be seen whether Turner will stand strong, or reverse this recent decision. Either way, it's 100% likely that they will follow the money.
Read more: "Smoking banned in classic cartoons: Turner edits cigarette references in Hanna-Barbera shorts" - http://animatedfilms.suite101.com/ar...#ixzz08s8TMHWT[/
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