Not Family TV: Critics vs. Blaine and BrownInside MagicMagic News Updated Daily for the Professional Magician

The Scotsman's (UK) Arthur Mac Millian and Jeremy Watson considered the upcoming television season and feel there is little to commend it over the past few.

They note this is the 60th year of television in the United Kingdom and it has moved from an exciting new technology to a method of delivering "reality TV shows that repeatedly push the boundaries of decency and morality, game shows of mind-bending banality."

Two magicians top the list of the bottom-scrapings for the critics:

Channel 4 is the most complained-about British terrestrial TV channel, according to figures from industry regulator Ofcom.

Eight of the top 20 programmes to have offended viewers in the past year were screened by the broadcaster, with reality series such as Big Brother and alternative stunt shows hosted by illusionist Derren Brown, who played Russian roulette on screen, leading the way.

The American magician David Blaine also turned stomachs when he starved himself for 40 days and 40 nights for a TV programme.

The argument that the broadcasters broadcast only what the viewers want to view seems lost on these critics. Should the focus of a typical family's attention be something more than the most popular method of reaching the lowest common denominator?

Of course magicians also ask shouldn't a magic show performed by a magician such as Mr. Blaine have some magic in it?

A famous politician in the US once observed, "You can't fool all the people all of the time, but let's give it a try."

Okay, we're off our bitter box and soon will be romping through the pages of happy, positive things.

Or not.

The Scotsman's (UK) Arthur
Mac Millian and Jeremy Watson considered the upcoming television season
and feel there is little to commend it over the past few.

They note this is the 60th year of television in the United Kingdom and
it has moved from an exciting new technology to a method of delivering "reality TV shows that repeatedly push the boundaries of decency and morality, game shows of mind-bending banality."

Two magicians top the list of the bottom-scrapings for the critics:

Channel 4 is the most complained-about British terrestrial TV channel, according to figures from industry regulator Ofcom.

Eight of the top 20 programmes to have offended viewers in the past
year were screened by the broadcaster, with reality series such as Big
Brother and alternative stunt shows hosted by illusionist Derren Brown,
who played Russian roulette on screen, leading the way.

The American magician David Blaine also turned stomachs when he starved himself for 40 days and 40 nights for a TV programme.

The argument that the broadcasters broadcast only what the viewers want
to view seems lost on these critics. Should the focus of a typical
family's attention be something more than the most popular method of
reaching the lowest common denominator?

Of course magicians also ask shouldn't a magic show performed by a magician such as Mr. Blaine have some magic in it?

A famous politician in the US once observed, "You can't fool all the people all of the time, but let's give it a try."

Okay, we're off our bitter box and soon will be romping through the pages of happy, positive things.

Or not.