Saturday, January 14, 2012

Guest reporter post : Fox 5 News DC Just ran a promo for an upcoming story on comic books

Ray Bottorff Jr reports:

WTTC Fox 5 of Washington DC, ran a promo during the NFC Divisional Playoffs Saturday evening January 14 on an upcoming special report that appears to be a Wertham-style attack on comic books.

Scheduled to air on Wednesday January 18th, on their 11:00 pm newscast, the promo presents to the audience the suggestion that comics are full of sex and violence, using the quote "Playboy meets comics."

With what sensationalized call to arms, the ad purported to show in the news story how parents can "KO" these comics for their kids.

Certainly a 30-second plug for a late night news story will not cover everything that will be mentioned during the story when it airs. But the promo certainly gave the impression that it will malign the industry and deliver the usual stereotypes on how comics are only for kids (never mind that the comics shown are not for kids), and that smut is being peddled by comic book stores to children (which they are not).

What kind of vigilance should comic book fans do to this modern day Wertham-style attack? Swamp Fox 5 with phone calls? Protest at the Fox 5 studios? Something else?




Here's the post-broadcast update.

5 comments:

CArchivist said...

The ad just posted again on the post-game show for the NFL division playoff game!

Abram said...

Just saw the promo as well. What a joke.

LifeIsABlog said...

What should we do? We should get the name of the comics they are talking about so I can read them.

Unknown said...

I guess we're back in the 1950's again!

Mike Rhode said...

I'm not staying up late to watch this, so if anyone can spot an online link afterwards, I'd appreciate it.