by John Nolte
Breitbart’s Big Hollywood
On September 10th of this year the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) posted a press release informing the world that “from October 19-25, more than 60 network TV shows [will] spotlight the power and personal benefits of service,” and that this “unprecedented block of TV programming is the first wave of a multi-year ‘I Participate’ campaign.”
On its face this all sounds rather benign in that silly, liberal do-gooder kind of way. The networks have launched these kinds of campaigns before and other than some clunky exposition awkwardly inserted into your favorite show to meet the mandate — no harm, no foul.
But this year there are a couple new strangers in town: “Volunteerism” and “Service.” You’ve heard of them. Their names have been bandied everywhere since President Obama took office, and this internal memo from the EIF to network showrunners obtained by Big Hollywood shows that the entertainment industry is well acquainted and eager to introduce both to as vast an audience as possible.
Like the NEA story, once again we see the same buzzwords pop up; suggested topics pitched to an overwhelmingly left-of-center group: Education, health, environment, the economy and lastly — almost as an afterthought as some kind of “bi-partisan” cover – support for military families.
We’ll have to wait until next week to see what effect this initiative will have on the 60 television (and news) programs in question, but thanks to the intrepid Patrick Courrielche and Stage Right, today we can answer the simple question of…
“What’s wrong with this?”
…First the NEA, now the EIF…
Starting to notice a pattern?…
The article continues at Big Hollywood. It includes documents in PDF file and several more links.
From the iParticipate website:
Check Out All The Participating Shows! Find Out How Your Favorites Are Taking Part.
By iParticipate on Tue, Oct 13 2009, 18:11:41
Below are some of the shows taking part in EIF’s iParticipate campaign, and what they plan to do. (A “tag” means an in show announcement or promotion.)
Show……………………………………..Participation
ABC
America’s Funniest Home Videos…………Segment
Brothers and Sisters…………………………Script, tag
Castle……………………………………………Tag
Cougar Town…………………………………..Tag
Dancing With the Stars……………………..Segment, tag
Desperate Housewives………………………Script, tag
Eastwick………………………………………..Tag
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition………..Story line, tag
Grey’s Anatomy……………………………….Script, tag
Hank……………………………………………..Tag
Modern Family…………………………………Tag
Private Practice………………………………..Script, tag
Scrubs……………………………………………Tag
The Forgotten…………………………………..Script, tag
Ugly Betty……………………………………….Script, tag
All My Children………………………………….Script, tag
General Hospital………………………………..Script, tag
One Life to Live…………………………………Script, tag
The View………………………………………….Segment, tag
Jimmy Kimmel Live!…………………………..Segment, tag
NBC
30 Rock…………………………………………..Script, tag
Access Hollywood………………………………Segment, tag
Community………………………………………Script, tag
Heroes…………………………………………….Script, tag
Parks and Recreation………………………….Script, tag
The Biggest Loser………………………………Segment, tag
The Jay Leno Show……………………………Segment, tag
The Office………………………………………..Script, tag
Today……………………………………………..Segment, tag
CBS
Accidentally on Purpose………………………Tag
Cold Case………………………………………..Script, tag
Criminal Minds…………………………………..Script, tag
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation…………….Script, tag
CSI: Miami……………………………………….Script, tag
CSI: NY…………………………………………..Script, tag
Gary Unmarried…………………………………Script, tag
Ghost Whisperer………………………………..Script, tag
How I Met Your Mother……………………….Script, tag
NCIS………………………………………………Script, tag
NCIS: Los Angeles…………………………….Tag
The New Adventures of Old Christine……..Tag
Numb3rs…………………………………………Script, tag
Rules of Engagement…………………………Script, tag
The Big Bang Theory………………………….Tag
The Mentalist……………………………………Tag
Two and a Half Men……………………………Tag
Late Show With David Letterman…………..Segment, tag
FOX
America’s Most Wanted………………………Segment, tag
Bones……………………………………………..Tag
Brothers………………………………………….Script, tag
COPS……………………………………………..Segment, tag
Lie to Me………………………………………….Script, tag
Major League Baseball………………………..Script,tag
So You Think You Can Dance?……………..Segment, tag
’Til Death…………………………………………Script, tag
The Wanda Sykes Show……………………..Future segment, tag
The CW
I Pledge…………………………………………..Committed
Nickelodeon
TeenNick HALO Awards………………………Segment, tag
WeTV
The Locator……………………………………..Tag
My Fair Wedding……………………………….Tag
Lifetime
Army Wives……………………………………..Future story line
Project Runway…………………………………Tag
Rita Rocks……………………………………….Tag
Sherri……………………………………………..Tag
BET
The Mo’Nique Show…………………………..Tag
Disney Channel
Wizards of Waverly Place……………………Script
Sonny With a Chance…………………………Script
Hannah Montana……………………………….Script
The Suite Life on Deck………………………..Script
CNN
American Morning……………………………..Segment
Showbiz Tonight: HLN………………………..Segment
CMT
CMT Top 20 Countdown………………………Segment
CMT Insider………………………………………Segment
Syndicated Shows
The Dr. Oz Show……………………………….Tag
Dr. Phil……………………………………………Segment(s), public service announcement
Entertainment Tonight / The Insider……….Segment, tag
Extra: The Entertainment Magazine……….Tag
Jerry Springer…………………………………..Tag
Judge Jeanine Pirro……………………………Tag
Judge Mathis…………………………………….Tag
Maury……………………………………………..Tag
