A BIT OF PROGRESS, WE HOPE – AT 1:51 P.M. ET:  We look for hints that part of Hollywood is showing some maturity.  Occasionally, we find that hint.  We savor the moment.  From Fox:   

NBC has canceled “Rise” after critics accused the show of being anti-Christian and going out of its way to squeeze in liberal talking points.

The Media Research Center, which has tracked the “extremely liberal high school drama” for bias against Christians, posted an article celebrating its demise. "Rise," which starred Rosie Perez and Josh Radnor, was about a drama teacher who polarizes the town with his passion for musicals – specifically the provocative “Spring Awakening.”  

“We should cry because it happened, and smile now that it is finally over,” MRC’s Dawn Slusher wrote. “Unlike the show’s title Rise, every episode in this debut season continued to sink to new low, so we can also smile over the news that the curtain has been lowered for good on the series."

Slusher once wrote, “If you could take every liberal, Hollywood writer’s agenda and cram it all into one show, that show would be ‘Rise.’”

Slusher’s outrage has been picked up by other publications, such as Christian Today, and the show was panned by The New York Times.

NBC did not immediately respond when asked if the backlash to storylines perceived by critics as anti-Christian played a role in why “Rise” will not return for a second season.

The now-canceled show featured episodes about a teacher encouraging a male student to act in a kissing scene with another male despite expressing that his Catholic parents wouldn’t approve, a priest featuring what Slusher called “stereotypical gay mannerisms,” a pregnant minor contemplating abortion, a transgender teen and an assortment of other topics that critics feel paint Catholics as homophobes.

COMMENT:   Networks must understand that they're entering people's homes.  Some care is required, and respect for the audience is clearly required.  At one time Hollywood was sensitive to the feelings of people watching TV, or attending movies.  When I worked for The Tonight Show we had strict adherence to the standards and practices of NBC.

At one time, in the days of radio, CBS Chairman William S. Paley actually required that station-identification announcers wear tuxedos, even though they were never seen.  The announcers would step into a booth, and say, "The is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System," and step out of the booth, wearing their tuxedos. 

Paley explained his order.  The tuxedos reminded the announcers that it was a formal occasion, they were entering people's homes, and respect had to be shown.  It would be reflected, Paley believed, in their voices.

I wish we had that sensitivity today.  Maybe it's coming back.

May 16, 2018