/ Right-wing preachers dominate the dial / m t was Dart. uolitical. caucus. Dart camu evangelical for a politician, one evangelist meeting, part trade show-and all in particular sounded mighty like a politi- barn burner. As the crowds of 4,000 cian. He was Marion Gordon ("Pat") milled through the Sheraton Wash- Robertson, 55, head of the Christian ington Hotel ill the nation's capital Last Broadcasting Network and a fixture on week, Gospel singers crooned, video- CBN'S four-times-a-day Tlie 700 Club. esui~ment. . salesmen hawked their wares. Robertson. a Southern Baotist. has been nnJ nic,li~.'~nsultants !>l.rulcd th: Iiieei- tr.insnil.il~ig>lL;ci II> 1h.11 lie 11i1~;hlj.1111 [he i11g r\><~~nsi.)r I>:\\ 1~1cii1D.VCILS O~SCII.I-1 fa:: ic~ R~~I;uII.~.I~~~~.~llll~l~~tl~~~~ t~ tors and Congressmen made it their busi- succeed Reagan. Political pros are uncer- ness to turn out for the cameras and lights, tain how big a factor he could be in the cementing alliances and huffing up im- primaries, let alone the convention. but ages. Jeane Kirkuatrick and Jesse Jack- tiiev are convinced that he could eneraize were there. Piesident Reagan. appro- the Chr~stlanr~ght and siphon votes f;om pr~ately,sent a message on videotape. 1 othkr can&idais. =rue believers are tin- / The occasion was the convention of / slini! at the orosoect. As ROBERTSON IN 796button;blo~somed, the amiable Vir- ginian took the N.R.B. platform to de- nounce the evils of abortioii, homosexual- ity and school violence, all to be overcome by a flood tide of moral regeneration. 'We are going to see a change in this nation," he promised his listeners, "and you are going to be a part of it.'' Perhaps they are already. Preachers like Robertson command audiences that . form, if not a true Moral Majority, at least ,,several potent and readily mobilized mi- norities. Robertson's following provides much of CBN's $233 million annual in- come. In a year, viewers of Tlie 700 Clirb log 4 million prayer calls to 4,500 vol- unteers manning telephone banks in 60 counseling centers. Such motivated constit- uencies can-and do-bestow blessings Robertson in Washington last week aplenty, in the form of money and votes.
the National Religious Broadcasters. This The fact that a Robertson is even a po- alternative fourth network." The video is a group whose most resonant naines- tential candidate con6rms the extraordi- preachers are often bitter competitors be- and recognizable faces-are the televan- nary power and iduence amassed in the hind their on-camera smiles. yet Arm- gelists, the stars of the electronic church, past decade by the shrewd, colorful head- strong contends they constitute a network the pastors of "Pray TV" And at one ses- liners of Gospel TV. While impressing nonetheless, one defined by a shared sion after another, cheered on by such some as shallow and vulgar popularizers, viewpoint. To the dismay of more liberal honored elders of the field as Billy Gra- they bring real inspiration and solace to Protestants, not to mention Roman Cath- ham and Oral Roberts, these powerhouse others. Their past struggles in low-paid olic and Jewish leaders, the people who preachers strutted their stuff. Jimmy Gospel circuits bespeak a deep commit- have seized spiritual control of the tube Swaggart roared that the Supreme Court ment, whatever skepticism might be are unremittingly Evangelical or Funda- is "an institution damned by God Al- aroused by their present enjoyment of mentalist. Four of the top stars are part of mighty" for allowing abortions. Jerry Fal- stardom's rewards. Thev have changed the Pentecostal movement. which emoha- well argued that "theologically, any the face of television; they may be gr&lu- sizes the emotive and miraculous aspects Christian has to support Israel, simply be- ally altering the very nature of American of faith. Sunbelt churchianity is ubiqui- cause Jesus said to." Even White House Christianity. tous, and whenever there is a politicaltilt Communications Director Patrick Bu- The Rev. Ben Armstrong, a Presby- to the broadcasts-which is often-it is chanan drew audience cries of "Amen!" terian conservative who has run the virtually always to the right. and "Praise the Lord?' when he exhorted N.R.B. during two decades of astounding broadcast in^'^ Jesus network com- Republicans to "tap into the spiritual re- growth, boasts that his colleagues have vival that is going in the country." "done what Ted Turner tried to do and If Buchanan sounded downright Rupert Murdoch wants to do--create an 62 last ycarl. freelance productions that pur- regular viewers of the various shows. That Preaclrers, says the Nielsen report shows chase time on general stations. and bur- a "much larger" audience than he and geonlng cable and satellile hookups ihat other experts had thought. The preachers, reach tens of millions of homes. The copal churches combined. A Nielsen sur- he now asserts, "have greater unrestricted 1 preachers. fund raising, the stuff of jokes vey last year, designed to add cable data access to media than any other interest : and sometimes of scaudal, is prodigious. to th-, broadcast ratings, showed that 21% group in America." Powered by TV evan- I According toa 1977 estimate by Teievision/ of the nation's TV households tune in to gelism, he predicts, the Christian right "is : Radio Age, they spent $500 million to pur- Christian TV for at least six minutes in a destined to become the major social i chase TV and radio time a decade ago: to- week. and 40% for at least six minutes in a movement in America" during the late day Armstrong figures the total is $1 billion. month. This adds up to 61 million Ameri- 20th century. That does not counroth- cans with at least minimal exposure. The What aicounts for the surprising im- I er expenses and the ambitious ancillary en- survey counted viewers of only the ten pact of the televangelists? In part, show- terprises that most have launched. biggest among 62 nationally syndicated 1/ biz flair: outsize uersonalities, sermons shows. Bv this measure. Robertson. whose carefully shaped around themes that plill here is fiirious debate over jusi CBN comrnisslot~edthe survey, is at least aud~enceresponse, dramatic personal sto- IT how big the evangelists' combined briefly onscreen monthly in 16.3 million ries of life-changing events, and toe-tap- audience is. as well as where each homes and reaches 27 million Americans. ping music But broader cultural forces I -: ranks in the ratings individualiy. Sociologist Jeffrey Kadden of the are surely at work. "Everybody thinks the I A 1984 University of Pennsylvania survey University of Virginia. who was skeptical TV preacher is doing a number on peo- estimated that 13.3 million people, or of religious broadcasters' claims to big au- ple," says Armstrong, "but it's the viewer L6.2% of the national TV audience. are diences in his 1981 book Prirne nnle with his hand on the dial who controls the TIME.FEBRUARY 17. 1986 system." People who hope TV Gospel will ary tour promoting his latest volume, an fade when today's stars are gone. says upbeat rewrite of Jesus' Beatitudes titled Armstrong, "do not understand that the The Be-Happy Attitudes. Schuller is affili- real key is grass-roots people, dying for ated with the mainline Reformed Church personal religion and traditional values.'' in America, as is his predecessor in hyper- optimism, Norman Vincent Peale. here is little doubt that many s Jim Bakker (pronounced baker), 46, is Americans are yearning for the boyish-faced Pentecostal proprietor of meaning and moral anchorage, the PTL (for People That Love or Praise Twhich evangelical religion has ar- the Lord) Network in Charlotte, N.C. dently and successfully provided. Critics The network ranks second to Robertson's add that people find it easier to acquire CBN in Christian cable (13 million house- simple answel-s to complex personal and holds. 24 hours, all religion). The featured social ills via television than to commit offering is the daily Jim and Tammy themselves to solving real-life troubles. show, a variety-and-talk program with Among Pray TV's top-rated figures: Bakker and his wife as hosts on an opu- s Jimmy Swaggart, 50, is a brash, rafter- lent, hacienda-style set with orchestra, ringing Pentecostal preacher and Gospel singers and live audience. Bakker's re- singer (his albums have sold 13 million ceipts exceed $100 million a year. Much copies) who preserves the old tent revival of the money is eaten up by his Heritage style at his striking 7,000-seat Family USA theme park, opened in 1978 near Worshin Center outside Baton Rouse. La. Fort Mill.. S.C.. . and already the third-larw- In his weekly one-hour broadcasts; he est such attraction in thk country, wirh Tammy and Jim Bakker on camera: "A cute little prowls the stage, sometimes breaking into nearly 5 million visitors a year. Unlike excited jig steps, as he revs up perorations Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Lynchburg. The 1985 receipts of Falwell's assailing Communism. Catholicism and which rank ahead of it, Heritage USA ventures: $100 million. Last year he start- I "secular humanism." the last of which he charges na admission. The grandiose ed a Sunday-night call-in show on Ted blames for abortion, pornography, AIDS 2,300-acre project, which is years away Turner's superstation. WTRS. Lasl month and assorted social ills. He takes in $140 from completion, includes Bakker's As- he purchased a cable hookup (rebaptized million a year. The money pays for his semblies of God church, a 500-room luxu- the Liberty Broadcasting Network) that weekly show (aired in 197 markets), his ry hotel, a mock turn-of-the-century mall reaches 1.5 million homes. It will run a daily %ble study, and in 1984 enabled with 25 boutiques under an artificial sky, new daily Falwell talk show.
most famed faith healer, has a TV flock b Jerry Falwell, 52, presides at the that helped build the 4,600-student Oral b Robert Schuller, 59, a bland-looking 21,000-member Thomas Road Baptist Roberts University and the 294-bed City but calculatedly theatrical performer, Church in Lynchburg, Va., whose Sunday of Faith hospital and research center. The presides over the vast. glittery Crystal Ca- worship is seen in 172 markets. A Funda- City of Faith is rumored to be in financial thedral in Garden GI-ove, Calif. Finished mentalist of genial manner and granite straits, but Roberts will divulge no details. in 1980 at a cost of $18 million (paid opinions, he used his TV clout to launch The overall budget of his enterprises re- I largely by viewer donations), the structure Moral Majority, the influential conserva- portedly runs to S120 million. Roberts' I serves as a dazzling stage set for Schuller's tive political lobby. That weekly Hour of Power. The show, seen in group was subsumed last 169 cities. beats Swaggart in some audi- month under the new ence listings. Schul1er:s TV budget is $37 Liberty Federation. sig- million a year, and the 10.000-member naling Faiwell's in- cathedral spends an additional $5.7 mil- creased involvement in lion on non-TV operations. The author of foreign affairs. He also several inspirational best sellers, Schuller runs Liberty University shook 10,000 hands in a weeklong Janu- (7.000 students) in as well as a number of now widelv imitat- a stade. whether on domestic issues like ed viewer-response and fund-raising tech- abortion ("We are offering up 1% million niques. He was also the first Christian babies a year upon the altar of sensuality broadcaster to sign up commercial spon- and selfishness") or international topi& sors, a development that appears to be like the Nicaraguan contras. (The U.S. the trend of the 1980s. His 24-hour CBN has "a moral obligation," Robertson network reaches 30 million subscribers, maintains, to support "freedom fighters" making it not only the largest Christian who battle "satanic" Communism.) cable operation hut the fifth largest of any During the programs, 800 numbers kind (No. 1 is ESPN, with 36.9 million continually flash onscreen, encouraging subscribers). viewers to phone in their requests, com- The CBN headquarters in Virginia ments, prayers or pledges. (The show's Beach, Va., consists of three massive name derives from an early crisis when. in white pillared buildings where some 4,000 Roberstonemployees work amidstrict se- curity (for example: coded cards to unlock American Airlines as the nation's heavi- doors). The buildings house not only stu- est user of WATS telephone lines. On-cam- dios but CBN University, which enrolls era operators take the messages, some- 715 graduate students and is adding a law times suggesting local help and often school acquired free from Oral Rohsrts relaying news of miracle cures for Rohert- University. son and Kinchlow to pass along to the au- CBN'S viewership has tripled since dience. Kinchlow, 49, has known a mir- cau~le...~ea~le Pelt -good about watching". / 1981. when ~ohertsonswitched from an 1 acle or two himself. He was drifting and .~ll.rcl~gi.~nxlieJ111: LIX fs~~iiil)cntcr1:~in- embittered until "Jesus changed me from u ti-rill c! I 2 11r rllenl ~~Ppr.~.i.liia~lhl~iing Clir~sl~~n the inside." Now he is a CBN vice presi- kets, but the "Prairie Tornado" is showing shows with wholesome reruns (Flippei: dent. One of Rohertson's four children. his age. The spotlight is shifting to a daily Fathe? Knows Best), westerns, old movies Timothy, 31. isanother. talk show inauguraled in 1984 to star Son and game shows. Two weeks ago the nel- Nowadays Tlrr 700 Clrrb is increas- and Heir Apparent Richard Roberts, 37. work oremiered CBN News Tonizht. a I-en- inelv left in Kinchlow's bands as Robert- Due for partial opening next July is Oral's ular evening newscast producezin WasL- s&>risscrosses the country in the compa- $14 million Healing Center, which ington, with special emphasis on right- ny's BAC One-Eleven jet. With his will feature. among other attractions, a wing issues enterorises-and his oolitical nrosnects-. . three-hour tour of animated films of Bihle l)u~lJingup momcnlum. Il~bcr~s..~.11.1r stories. ohertson's spiritual hub is Tile 700 !c,i llmu I,, spcnd \\llh t.i, utic I?.dc inn Dynamic and high-profile achievers, Club, which runs without ads on un~\;rs~tv-.l\\~i:JS420.000 Ill.ansion .in every one. yet none of these preachers the CBN cable system and also the campus. When he is home Rob- can compare to Robertson as a TV entre- pays $20 million a year to appear ertson usually is awake at sunrise, studies preneur. Rohertson pioneered the first on broadcast outlets in 185 cities. Hosted the Bible for an hour, jogs two miles and religious TV station, the first reli- in low-key style on a living-room set by perhaps takes a ride on one of his four gious network and the firs1 Christian Robertson and Ben Kinchlow. who is horses before going to his studios. It is oroarammin~to use a talk-show format. black. the nroeram- has featured inter- a countrv. - eentleman's life-stvle.,~~. which views with such guests as befits a blue-blooded Virginian who Anwar Sadat, F. Lee Bai- counts two Presidents, William Henry ley, Mr. T and the last Harrison and Benjamin Harrison, in the three U.S. Presidents, in- family tree. terspersed with inspira- The son of longtime U.S. Senator A. tional film clips and re- Willis Robertson, Pat grew up in Lexing- ports in TV-magazine ton, Va., and graduated Phi Beta Kappa format. Rohertson's po- from hometown Washington and Lee litical commentary is also University. After a hitch as a Marine
-.Ratter.ringing -. Pentecostalist. .- Jimmy- Swageart-. - at broadcosters'meeting. .-. . .- I i!! I 'II.'/l ,or. '..~,:..l, iil'.ri,,. this is theft, now, of that which belongs Standing Tail for Moral Principles to someone else . . . The Bible also says to stay out of debt, that people who are P~lrrrcrhus Idn~6'~n o 1.1ru1dirre~~- perceived-give or take my shortcom- debtors are servants of their lenders. no1t oftlrr. RcL,.1'01 Kohcir;on k ,n!tzrsir.y. ings-as a strong leader who has vision H<,o.,u/:c.i .. his ~jisionof,la.~ur!r,~~l -. !111rhto and gets things done . . . I believe that On defense and foreigm policy. The public concerns, and through his Chris- just as Kennedy's Catholicism was not a Prophet Isaiah says we are supposed to tian Broadcasting Network, he gets the drawback after he explained his posi- lift the yoke of oppression. And I think message to a wide audience with vast tioii, my earnest faith would ultimately whether it is economic oppression, civil fund-raising potential. Now he may try be a plus rather than a negative. rights oppression of minorities, oppres- to parlay this base into a run for the Re- sion against women or oppression uublican rzomination for President. In an On Scripture and social issues. The against billions of people under Com- r~rretvreaif; Wt,rhW~turz k11:i TIhII. (11- Eedcr31 G.~\crn~lir!iIshould 11~1pr.,. munist domination, there is a positive Ionnr L?r,reu,r Clri~'Jos~~p11J h'utz,:, Roh- Inott initiarivus a klc!i u 111 Ji>rt~pt2nd duty to at least assist people in their rnsotr rx:~lrrin?dat leizxr!, lzo,v hi5 rllro- bre.31( u? LI.I~~I..III.I~familicb, :!!:d ~f struggle for freedom. The Bible also logical co;ivic!ions shape his approach there are policies currently in place do- says;''~s much as life is in you, live at to doinestic and internarional issues. ing that, then I believe those policies peace with all men." No one in his ri&t Excerpts: should be changed. The majority of the mind wants to go to war or begin war,
dislocation has~ come~ about~~~ through - Su- certainlv, a nuclear war. The charge that On becoming a candidate. ! thlnk try ptmc C'oult and lo\\e!-L,>urL a;ti~ism, II\R~~~~I.~~~~~~~oIIIc~~I~~~r!ingrohelp
more, certainly after the November tal misunde&tahding oFbib1ical truth. elections and the Michigan caucuses. Pacifism is not biblical. We have to There are a number of people urging me realize that we are dealing with a malev- to do this, especially those who think I olent power that over the last four dec- would stand tall for certain moral prin- ades has resulted in the death of 250 mil- ciples in the country. Some of my good lion human beings. There has never friends said, "You are much more valu- been a force in the history of the world able right where you are." Because with that has been as vicious, as malevolent, television there is access to people. But and at its core. atheistic and desirous of the other question is, Would the Gov- destroying the liberties of people. I think ernment as such choke off a moral re- that if we have the opportunity to assist newal if certain tendencies that have these wars of liberat&. as in Afghani- been evident in past Administrations stan or Nicaragua or ~&ola,we Should were brought back? That is the issue. do that. We have no obligation to assist The only thing for me is, Where would the enemies of the U.S. or the enemies of God have me to serve? the Lord or the enemies of freedom.
On physical and emotional healing. The On conflict with the Soviets. I have felt Apostle Paul in I Corirzthians 12 lists that one day the Soviets or their satel- nine so-called charismata (manifesta- lites will invade Israel I do not think the tions of God's Suirit). and among them The prospective candidate U.S. is going to go to war with the Sovi- ale thc ..u.ord uf nisduin" nnJ ;'rv~,d ets over Israel But we might be drawn olk:to\vl;dp,c ' Tlin is2 \er). quie; \\.lr,l. usurped the legislative function to an into something. That is the most volatlle nrourht iorrh in .:.: spirit <-fa hut~idn alarming extent. The Constitution did area in the whole world. and if vou read being dealing with a problem that some- not establish the courts as a supralegisla- thi R~hlc .r se:itis lhc .uirlJcreJ thc body has that God cares about and ture that would dominate all other Lentcr ~f tt.er~rrh.lfronie!liiil~, uere i.) wants to help. The &st time that it hap- branches of Government. . . happen, of course. the U.S. would come pened to me, I thought it was something Much of welfare is perpetuating, es- down on the side of the Israelis. I don't really want to do. But I worked pecially in the black community, a sense I think that Soviet Russia is destined up my courage and mentioned what I of deuendencv. a breakuo of families. to fall, and I don't think the U.S. has felt was being spoken, and somebody ~omeihinghas got to be'done to help to go to war with them to see that hap- called in and said that at that moment bring these people to a sense of dignity pen. It will coiltinue to lose because the they had been gloriously healed and a sense of worth The illiteracy system violates basic human nature. It is I have seen not just a few-I am tak- rate in the black community is appall- for the benefit of an oligarchy of some ing about tens of thousands-and we ing, and the unemployment rate tracks 250,000 leaders of the party. But if they have medical verification, our TV crews the illiteracv rate. and over 50% begin a venture in the Middie East, as I taking their stories, interviewing their of the births & the black community are read the Bible, God is going to bring it to friends, and it is absolutely extraordi- to unmarried women. And those things pass, not America or anybody else. nary. It is hauoenim. . - so frequently now have got to he addressed. It is tge I think that freedom is breaking 1h.11it secms to Ii; Xn unusii.il hles\in~ churches that could take the lead. It forth in the world. A11 the U.S. has to Gcld h3sgiven to me. . I hnvz hat1 on ni is not something Government can get do is to stay strong and to stay the lc?.~$!.u J ~::a~!~)ns~s~~~ri~ualiasigh[- i1it~2 involved in. course. That is assuming we don't fall conditions, and se.>plcuete hc!p:d in 15 from within with moral decay. If we miiturescin ma;tcrsthalc,~uldIiavr:takcn On a balanced budget. The Bible says have a spiritual renewal, which is ur- a year of intensive counseling very cogently, "Co not forsake wisdom." gently needed, there is no question that 1 Deficit spending is neither left wing nor the long-term outlook for the U.S. is On the "religious issw." People are right wing; it is just stupid. Balanced very, very bright. We religious broad- looking for someone with strong convic- budgets make sense . . . We are stealing casters are a symbol that a profound tions. The primary characteristic of a the patrimony from our future genera- spiritual renewal is taking place in President is the ability to lead, and I am tions. This becomes immoral because our country. Religion combat officer in Korea, he graduated I'm either the biggest fool and idiot and ministries in 1979 formed the Evangelical from the Yale Law School, flunked the con man in the world or else I'm plugged Council for Financial Responsibility. The New York bar exam and was a partner in into heaven." council certifies that its associated fund a small business. Then at age 26 he had a Preachers who purchase airtime fre- seekers fulfill a simple code of ethics. But conversion experience ("At my desk in quently offer books, calendars, lapel pins of the seven 'major TV ministers, only my office, I leaned back in my chair and and whatnot to those who phone or write Graham and Bakker are members. burst out laughing . . . I had passed from in. Viewers requesting "premiums" often Like the old-time revivalists to whom death into life") and entered the Biblical send checks, but the preachers' real goal is they are the natural successors4eorge Seminary in New York City. to build a computerized name list for fu- Whitefield, Charles Finney, Dwight L. Robertson's career took a dramatic ture direct-mail solicitation. One promi- Moody, Billy Sunday-today's televange- turn in the late 1950s when he became an nent evangelist, Oregon-based 13ispanic lists tend to be mavericks, outside of de- early convert to the Neopentecostal, or Luis Palau, complains with some justifica- nominational control and resourceful Charismatic, movement, which carried tion, "When you try to talk to sonlehody about using entertainment and new tech- the beliefs of the older Pentecostal de- about Jesus Christ in America, they im- nology to 6nd their audiences. When ra- nominations into more sedate main- mediately think all you want is to get their dio was born, the early networks want- stream churches and independent congre- name, address and ZIP code." ed no part of troublesome evangelists. gations. These groups believe in They encouraged stations to donate baptism in the Holy Spirit as a nec- time for network shows produced essary follow-up to personal com- in cooperation with the liberal Fed- mitment to Jesus Christ. Typically, eral (later National) Council of this experience follows the laying on Churches, as well as Catholic and of hands by believers who already Jewish agencies. In early TV, too, have been Spirit-filled, and results in the networks continued to give tra- speaking in tongues, a form of pray- ditional denominations free time, in 1 er language. Aiso eniphasi~edare effect confining the conservative other HOjr Spirit "gifts" mentioned evangelists to weak "dollar a holler" ~n the New Testament, mcluding stations. As late as 1959 the evange- 1 faith heabng. lists accounted for only half the reli- In his new enthusiasm, Robert- gious airtime. By 1980 they had son felt God telling him to apply lit- achieved a virtual monopoly. erally the exhortation of Luke I2: What caused the radical turn- 33; "Sell your possessions, and give about? Primarily, mainline religion aims." While Wife Dede was in violated the first conunandment of Ohio nursing a sick brother, Robert- TV: Thou shalt not bore. The shows son sold virtually everything the avoided not only Gospel appeals but coupleowned and gave the money to personalities, a necessity on an en- I the poor. According Lo Robertson's tertainment-oriented medium. The ! 1972 autobiography. Slrout If from only galvanizing religious figure to 1 the Housetops, the marriage went emerge in weekly prime time, Cath- / tlil-ough a tense period before Dede olic Bishop Fulton Sheen, was spon- showed "willingness to submit her- sored by the Admiral Corp., not by i self to my spiritual headship." his church. Another factor: the Fed- i After living as a church worker eral Communications Commission 1 in a Brookiyn black ghetto, Robert- decided to give equal "public ser- son eventually landed in Virginia's vice" credit to paid religion and free- ! Tidewater with S70 in cash, an aged time shows. Stations were eager to I DeSoto, and a vision of "claiming" a sell time and increase profits, and defunct UHF station for Jesus. The the Evangelicals were ready. Their price (divinely ordained, as Robertson The mail volume at the warehouse- 40 years in the paid-time wilderness j saw it): $37.000. WVAH went on the air in 1 sire depots maintained by top televange- turned out to be a boon. Additional UIIF I 1961 with a weak signal, one camera, lists is monumental. For instance, Billy and cable outlets became available to ' and a movie projector that frequently Graham is notably discreet in asking for them. Videotaping facilitated cheap pro- / jammed. But America's first Christian TV money, hut after his telecasts 40,000 or duction and distribution. The computer 1 station was afloat, to he followed by others 50,000 letters a day come in to his Minne- brought magical mass fund raising. 1 in Atlanta, Dallas aiid Boston. After over- apolis headquarters. Graham remains the Then there was the unmistakable dy- coming struggles that Robertson attribut- leader in prime-time evangelism, conh- namism of the preachers themselves. / ed to "satanic oppression," the operation ing himselfto infrequent specials. Among Graham caused such a sensation that his 1 developed money-raising telethons and last year's productions was coverage of his 1950 advent on ABC radio was fore- I friendly talk shows. pathbreaking preaching in Communist ordained. He made his TV debut the fol- Hungary and Rumania. The 1985 cost for lowing year. Weekly shows, the basic unit ven in CaN's flourishing state ta- airtime and other TV expenses was of TV programming, did not begin until day, fund raising is pervasive, as it $18,675,000, about a third of his overall traveling Revivalist Rex Humhard hap- n all Gospel TV. Sometimes budget. pened by a crowd gazing into an Akron e pitch is blatant, as with Cali- The world of Gospel TV has been department-store window. Fashion show? opentecostalist Paul Crouch, 51, rocked repeatedly by scandals, rumors, Puppets? No, a TV set. By 1953 Humbard f the all-religion Trinity Broad- shake-ups, and reports of high-fiving was telecasting services weekly and in Network (nine stations, 6 million preachers, which obscure the fact that 1958 opened the splashy, 5,000-seat Ca- es, $35 niillion budget). He tells many in the field have only modest per- thedral of Tomorrow, the &st church de- t a widow has donated her life sonal incomes. An inveterate financial se- signed to be a TV studio. In 1955, at Hum- 7,000 and comments, "Do you crecy exacerbates the air ofsuspicion. Ina hard's urging, Oral Roberts began alim what an awesome responsibility it move designed to allay donor skepticism telecasting weekly 6hns of himself plac- for me to stand here and encourage pea- and head off possible Government inter- ing healing hands upon lines of suppli- ple to literally give all they have to God? vention, leaders of nondenominational cants in sweat-drenched tent revivals.
1-IME.FEBRUARY 17.1986 67 The nation was thrilled, or aghast, to been a radio preacher afid top cauntry- watch hard-core Pentecostalism in the Gospel singer (his cousin is Rocker Jerry living room. Roberts, a Bible college first drive-in church. which he had found- Lee Lewis). The son of an Assemblies of dropout, was able to fold the tent and ed in Garden ~rove:~isoptimistic Chris- God minister, Swaggart preached at his open his university off the proceeds. tianity won a ready audience, and the first street meeting at 19. "Son," said a Soon after Pat Robertson's station church boomed. Emboldened bv a nation- ooliceman who was there. "vou've eot went on the air in 1961, he hired Jim and wide fund base,~chnlleropenedthe Crys- the fire." He has it still. ~nyonewho ge- Tammy Bakker, who were working the tal Cathedral in 1980. U.S. Christendom I -Lieves that TV has made the "hot" Gospel revival circuit, to run a children's show. had never seen the like. Deskned bv Ar- I hell-raisers obsolete has not seen oneof Bakker later devised and helped host what became The 700 Club. Eventually Bakker left Robertson and helped Paul Crouch launch the Trinitv network. then vered panes of glass, which diffuse an ef- he intones. "He's olive. He's alive! GLO- moved to Charlotte in 1974 and became fulgence of brilliant daylight. Sunday RY!" He loves the sawdust trail and con- the head of the PTL network. Bakker thus mornings at the cathedral have more the ducts a road-show crusade about once a had a hand in developing the three origi- feel of sporting events or variety hours month. "It has its own charm, spontaneity nal Christian networks. than worship services. Gold-jacketed at- and electrifying power," he says. "There's Tammy was no great singer, and Jim tendants guide cars in the parking lot. In- really nothing in the world quite like it. no penetrating interviewer, but their TV side, caged canaries chirp and camera- It's like the Republican or the Democrat- ascent was rapid. Says their avuncular an- toting tourists click away through icConventioneverynight." nouncer, Henry Harrison: "They were worship. As the service begins, 90-ft. iust a cute little couple that neonle felt doors open to reveal twelve fountains, one waggart's self-contained studios good about watching? Soon fiakcer was for each apostle, and an 11-ft. by 15-ft. bristle with top-of-the-line equip- giddily expanding religious and charita- Jumhotron video screen, so the back pews ment, and his 15,000-sa.-ft. print- ing plant churns out 24 million items a year: books, pamphlets, posters, album covers. He has opened mission and charity offices in 53 countries and preach- es regularly overseas Swaggart and Wife Frances live next door to Son Donnie, 31, in Baton Rouee.~-~. La. The houses are worth at least $1 million; much of the materials and labor was contributed by followers. Swaggan insists that "we've never taken a dollar from people's donations." He pays himself a salary from hook, tape and rec- ord royalties, and he admits, "The Lord has been good to me." Time and again, the power and glory of video have dramatically shaped the ca- reers of evangelical preachers. Jerry Fal- well founded his little Lynchburg church in a rented soda-pop plant in 1956 with only 35 souls. But he bought radio time af- ter the first week and TV time within the first year, and the people came. And came. Even then his fame might not have Mother Angelica, Catholicism's top producer, with Eternal Word satellite dish in Alabama gone much beyond the county line had he In a $1 billion business, a minor role for the mainline churches. not syndicated his program nationally af- ter moving into a sleek octagonal sanctu- ble works at home and abroad, though can catch the preacher's every gesture. ary in 1970. When he made his big move shunning politics. Scbuller's sermons, taxing to neither into political activism in 1979. he was PTL finances have suffered continual spirit nor intellect, owe as much to psy- armed with a solid computer bank of ups and downs. In 1979, after the Char- chology as to Scripture. They are pep- backers, financial and ideological lotte Observer charged that money osten- pered with greeting-card aphorisms for Every style seems to find a responsive sibly raised for overseas work was divert- seekers of happiness and self-esteem. audience. At one extreme are nondenom- ed to expenses at home, the FCC held "Coping and hoping" "Turn your scars inational Richard and Martin De Haan preliminary hearings on stripping Into stars " The cross is "a minus turned and Paul Van Corder of Grand Ra~ids. Bakker's license to a TV station in Can- into a plus." Beyond that, his crystalline who look and sound like local bankers but ton, Ohio, then let him sell it to Anti- Gospel aims at a historic shift, purging relieve their board-plain Bible lectures communist Crusader Billy James Hargis. Christendom of what Schuller sees as cen- with tapes of singers lip-synching cheerily Last month the Obseuver asserted that, turies of ensnarement in negative think- away at Florida's Cypress Gardens. Their during the FCC deliberations, former PTL ing. By preaching sin and judgment, he Day of Discovery runs in 153 cities, and executives had testified the Bakkers used argues.- the clerev-. "can be. mite acciden- the operation, including radio and pub- donations to buy a sports car, a houseboat, tally and unintentionally, but neverthe- lishing, spent $16 million in 1985. D. a mink coat and other personal perks. less a destructive influence in the human James Kennedy, 55, of Fort Lauderdale Seething, Bakker produced documents to oersonalitv and human life." Schuller gets has a 7,000-member church witt',in a con- rebut the accusations and called them a no salaryand Lives off book and tape roy- servative Presbyterian group and spends plot to "destroy us." But he does live well, alties and speaking fees; he lives in a re- half his $20 million budget on media. A even as he pleads poverty on the air and stored farmhouse on 2.5 acres, complete television comer, he tries to "fill the gap" lays off some 500 employees (as he did with waterfall. left by flashier preachers, offering formal weeks ago). He tools around in a Mer- Jimmy Swaggart went on TV three worship and cerebral sermons. cedes, and he and Tammy have a years after Schuller and claimed his first At the other end of the spectrum, the $449,000 retreat in Palm Springs. No. I rating by 1982. Not that Swaggart weekly show of Akron's Ernest Angley, Four years before Bakker began was unknown in the South Eie had long who bought out Humbard's church and
68 TIME FEBRUARY 17.1986 Religion studios in 1984 for $2 million, is a throw- Christian teaching by the popularacclaim tain. even though it may take time for the back to the faith-healing spectacle of the it wins, writes Australian Protestant Min- miracle to be realized. The shorthand ver- original Oral Roberts show. Another ec- ister Peter Horsfield in Religious Televi- sion: "Name it and claim it." centric is bearded Gene Scott, 56, of Los sion: The Anrericon Experierlce (1984), Angeles, who puffs a cigar and peers from "has been rejected from the earliest begin- he movement deeply disturbs under such headgear as a cowboy hat or nings of the Christian faith." Other critics more traditional Evangelicals and policeman's cap as he heaps scorn on oth- say that TV subordiliates the reflective as- Pentecostals (Oral Roberts and er TV preachers. Of Pat Robertson he pects of Christianity to emotive material PPat Robertson. however. are says, "The first name almost exhausts the that affords instant gratification and en- among outsiders who are friendly). The subject." tertainment. Political differences underlie Rev. Russell Spittler of California's Fuller Mainline religion nowadays is a mi- some of the sniping, of course. Liberals Theological Seminary thinks such nice- nor force in TV The three commercial are upset because their criticisn~sof U.S. sounding but strange messages show that networks still prepare free-time series for policy and culture are far less popular his fellow Pentecostals are "theological- the National Coiincil of Churches and than the Christian right's simplified aEr- ly impoverished." Theologian Charles other groups. Lloyd Ogilvie, a handsome mations of American success. Farah Jr, of Owl Roberts University as- Hollywood pastor-teiecast- serts that "there are hun- er, is within the mainline nt dreds of thousands of orbit but gets no backing 8;:: wounded Christians for from his Presbyterian whom it didn't work." The Church (U.S.A.). The current best-selling Evan- Southern Baptist Conven- gelical paperback Tire Se- tion, strongly evangelical, dricrion of C/rristianiry, by is the only denomination Dave Hunt and TA Mc- that runs a standard net- Mahon, charges that this work, ACTS. Begun in 1984, TV-borne movement is a it reaches 4 million homes, slide into occultism and a but is struggling because sign of the End Times. local church support has In the face of Gospel not offset the $25 maion to TV's theological simplifica- $30 million cost to date. tions and secular agendas, The U.S. Catholic hier- its sometimes overbearing archy has spent $5.2 mil- personalities and unrelent- lion on a network used ing emphasis on money, mainly for in-house tele- should earnest Christians communications, though simply shun electronic reli- some shows get on local gion altogether? To Holly- broadcast and cable. With- wood's Ogilvie, that is not out official imprimatur, an option: "Otherwise we Birmingham's amateurish roll over and play dead." hut affable Mother Angeli- Jim Bakker sees video tech- ca, 61, a Franciscan nun, nology as the means to ful- has become Catholicism's fill Jesus' 2,000-year-old in- top producer. She got ' her junction to reach out to the start when Robertson de- world and spread the Gus- cided to add a Catholic to A Billy Graham rally in Hungary last year, seen on a U.5. TV special pel. If Jesus were on earth CBN's lineup. In 1981 she Renclzirrgg,-ass-roofs,~eo~~iewho are Irri,rgryfor n.adiriorra1 voir~es. today. Bakker asserts. "he'd branched out with her have to be on TV. That Eternal Word satellite hookup. which has The power of positive TV thinking is would be the only way he could reach the 4 million homes on line and beams four especially evident in the "faith message" people he Iovrs." hours nightly. or "prosperity Gospel," a major Pentecos- The opposite view comes from Mal- Curious. and even worried. about the tal variant in the 1980s. Its chiefexponelit colm Muggeridge, a British author. TV impact of Gospel TV, evangelists and is Kenneth Copeland, 49, platform mae- personality and curmudgeonly Christian mainline critics joined in a rare coopera- stm of the bustling Eagle Mountain Cha- convert. lo his 1977 book Cliiisr and rhe tive gesture in 1984, commissioning an pel outside Fort Worth. Urging viewers to Media, Muggeridge spins a fantasy in extensive study by the University of give a tenth of their income to the Lord, which Jesus, having survived the three Pennsylvania's Amenberg School of Copeland asks himself rhetorically, temptations in the wilderness. is offered a Comnu~iicationsand the Gallup organi- "Well, Brother Copeland. are you tithing fourth: a contract from Lucifer Inc. to go zation. The three conclusions: surprising- to get?" His answer: "Yes, yes, yes! A to Rome and anchor a First-Century net- ly, although the evangelists raise their thousand times yes! I want to get healed, 1 work variety show. Jesus. .'concerned funds to reach the "lost," they mostly re- want to get well, I want to get money, I with truth and reality" rather than "fan- inforce people already committed to want to get prosperous!" Other advocates tasy and images." refuses. As a direct re- evangelical religion. Contrary to under- include Frederick Price, 54, the black pas- sult of that choice, across the centuries the standable fears, Gospel TV does not un- tor of a huge Los Angeles church, and greatest artists and architects. poets and I dercut attendance and contributions at lo- Robert Tilton, 39, of the Dallas-based philosophers. musicians and mystics cele- cal churches. The competing church Success-N-Life cable network. brate "the brightest and most far-reach- factions face a common, all-powerful ene- The prosperity preachers build on the ing hopes ever to he entertained by the my: secularized general TV. Pentecostal faith in here-and-now mir- human mind and the most sublime pur- The Rev. William F. Fore, communi- acles, citing bits of Scripture to proclaim poses ever to be undertaken by the human cation secretary at the National Council that God has already guaranteed not only will." Now that, says Muggeridge. is of Churches, asserts that the televange- spiritual comfort but material prosperity communication. -~y~ichard~.ost~;~g: lists "have been willing to buy enormous and physical healing. Believers who pro- warted by Joseph I. Kane/Virgniia Beach, 8. popularity, power and income at the ex- liounce their wishes in true faith have al- rpusseli Leavitt/Charlotte and MicIwel Riley/ , , pense of their own integrity." Measuring ready received them, the preachers main- Loshgeles, withotherburezus -.. . - -- - - .. . -.. .- ...... munications projects sought wi th USSR
By Margaret Barry "Communications as an academic tions of reality and their relationship to tional Research and Exchanges Board A delegat~onof the Amer~canCouncll discipline has played a growing role in behavior," said Gerbner. (IREX) in the U.S. and by the Soviet Of Learned Soclet~es (ACLSI vlslted American academic life, but it has yet to The ACLS supports scholarship in the Academy of Sciences Commission on Moscow earller 1hlsmon;h roexplorelhe become recognized as an important humanitiesthrough avariety of programs the Humanities and Social Sciences in poss~o~11y of SOYet an0 American scnol- academicdiscipline in thesoviet Union," including research grants for foreign the USSR. arsoes~gnlngjonl commun~catons prol- said Gerbner. study and travel grants to enable Ameri- This is not the first time that Gerbner ecls. ~ncludng comp~rerandteleconfer- The Americans proposed a number of can scholars to attend confe~ences has conducted research projects in the encing networks, a study of the use of projects to the Soviet delegation. They abroad. Soviet Union. In the mid-1960s, with a communications technology in educa- include: research grant from the U.S. Office of tional programs, and x project to en- -new communicationssystemssuch as Education (now the Department of Edu- hance the effectiveness of translation of computer networking and interactive cation), he compared schools and news and other items of interest from video and radio teachers of the mass media in 10 coun- one language to another. -comparative studies of the history of tries, including the Soviet Union. In the The ACLS delegation, headed by Dr. media research and media policy late 1960% with a grant from UNESCO GeorgeGerbner, dean oftheAnnenberg -"space bridges," television programs (the United Nations Educational, Scien- School of Communications, met with the that connect live audiences in the Soviet tificand Cultural Organization), hestud- Soviet Academy of Sciences Commis- Union and the U.S.A. ied the film heroes of full-length feature sion on the Humanities and Social Sci- -bi-cultural studies of television con- films produced for entertainment in six ences in Moscow fortwodays to discuss tent and mediaeffects. Gerbnercalls this countries, also including the Soviet "Communications and Contemporary a "comparative cultural indicators proj- Union. Society." ect." The American version, which The American delegation also includ- According to Gerbner, recent ad- Gerbner has been involved in forthe past ed Dr. Michael Cole, professor of com- vances in communication technology 18 years, employs teams of trained ana- municationand psychology anddirector have brought about profound changes lysts who have viewed more than 2,500 of the Laboratory of ComparativeHuman that affect people in all realms of their television programs as part of an ongo- Cognition at the University of California experience: work, cultural life, educa- ing study called the Cultural Indicators at San Diego; John Paterson Boyer, edi-, tion and the family. "Exchanging knowla project. torial director, Inside Story; Dr. Murray edge and experiences can help both The goal of a U.S./Soviet comparative Turoff, professor of computer science cultural indicators project would be "a and director ofthe Computerized Confer- countries make better use of their own Georue Gerbner resources," he said. comparative analysis of viewer concep- encing and Communications Center, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Dr. According to Gerbner, the next step is James Michael Holquist, professor of to createasubcommission of the Ameri- comparative and Russian literature at can Council of Learned Societies-Soviet Indiana Univeisity; Dr. Peter Blount Academy of Sciences Commission on Maggs, professorof lawatthe University the Humanities and Social Sciences of Illinois; and Dr. Ellen Mickiewicz, dean which will review the proposed projects. of the Graduate School of Arts and Funding forthe projects will be provided .Sciences and professor of political sci- for the first two years by the lnterna- ence, Emory University. - -. vol. CII, No. 27 2 ' PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, March 4, 1986 i'i.- +&, j~''e'&,,,~cL,* -~ i 0 I
delegation- to USSR By NINA STUZIN networking, experiments in A deleeation reoresentinr! the teleconferencing, history and ~merican-councii of ~&rned theory of media systems, and Societies headed bv Annenberg research on the use of communica- School Dean ~eorg;Gerbner met tion technology in education. with representatives from the USSR The subcommission also propos- Academy of Sciences in Moscow ed joint action, conference and last month and agreed to set np a publication projects to build the subcommission for collaboration in basis for continued exchange and the fields of communications and collaboration. society. These projects include a sym- The memorandum of understan- posium of communication resear- GEORGE GERBNER ding described the creation of the chers to discuss history and recent subcommission for the "initiation, trends in the two countries and a 'Breaking the ice' support and coordination of book of research on communica- concern m the area of computer cooperative operational research tion and society in the U.S. and the networking. projects." It was signed by Gerbner Soviet Union. "The hope, and this is my per- and Oleg Smirnov, director of the "The major accomplishment was sonal hope, is that a computer net- Institute of Automated Systems at breaking the ice in exchanging ideas work will be established for the USSR Academv of Sciences. about communications as a field of academic work," he said. The new subcornhission, headed study in its own right," Gerbner Gerbner also mentioned the im- bv Gerbner and Smirnov. nro~osed said last week. portance of bi-cultural studies of risearch projects in the -areas of "The [Soviet] response was very television content and media comparative media studies and in- good," he added. "Especially after effects. teractive communication the Geneva summit, things have "From a research point of view, technologies in an intercultural gotten much warmer over we are interested in how well they context. there. . . This was a good time for achieve their purposes compared to .4mong the many projects pro- an academic summit of a col- how we11 we achieve our purposes," posed were the study of media pro- laborative nature." he said. gramming, research on computer Gerbner expressed particular (Continued on page 7)
-- (Continued from page I) in the fields of humanities and social According to Gerhner, one of the sciences between the two countries. problems encountered by the Commission Secretary Wesley American delegation was determining Fisher said the trip was organized with which Soviet institute in the because "there is a lot happening in USSR Academy of Sciences to sign an new technolgies in communications agreement. which is affecting both countries." "[In the Soviet Union], com- Fisher cited as examples the New munications does not fit into any ex- Year's Day speeches of President isting categories in the Ronald Reagan and Secretary Mikhail academy. . . The problem was how to Gorbachev, and recent advances in bring about interdisciplinary coopera- computer networking. tion among institutes which does not "[The new technologies] are exist there," Gerbner said. creating really a revolution in the ac- Agreement was finally reached with cess that people have to information the Institute of Automated Systems, in the other society. . . [hut] no one under Smirnov. The agreement was has been studying the consequences of signed on behalf of "the American this," Fisher said. and Soviet participants," because it "In effect, this trip was a visit to was unclear exactly who was being sort out what are the main areasthat represented. are important to the scholarly com- The meetlng, which took place munities in ,both countries and to February 6 and 7, was organized by determine which types of problems the American Coucil of Learned ought to go forth first," he added. Societies/Soviet Academy of Sciences Commission on the Humanities and Fisher attributed recent Soviet in- Social Sciences. terest in communications partially to The commiss~onis administered 1n the fact that present Soviet leaders the U.S. by the International have made greater use of media than Research and Exchanges Board, a did their predecessors. division of the ACLS, and is responsl- Work on the projects is set to begin hle for most of the research relations before the summer. - .~ ...... ~ ......
ce of Gospel studied at Annenbera w By STACY ASHER advocates of religious repression, try- The shows have different hosts, but ing to outlaw what they consider to he their elements are the same: shiny- personal vices. Others welcome faced singers praising the Lord, Gospel TV as a bastion of traditional breathless testimonials of miracles virtues, striving to keep secularized and the omnipresent 1-800-number America from sinking into moral decline. But the question'remains: has the Campus Life media exaggerated the influence of these TV ministers and their au- for contributions flashing across the diences, or have they truly gained bottom of the screen. enough political clout in the past Jimmy Swaggart, Jerry Falwell, decade to be able to make the law Rex Humhard, Oral Roberts and Pat reflect their moral principles? Robel tson are just a few of the h~ggest A group of researchers at the An- "emcees" of Pray TV, a phenomenon nenberg School of Communications that has recently spurred great conducted a study of the social in- contoversy. fluence of TV religion, uncovering Some fear the TV preachers are an some statistics about the seemingly omlnous force in American politics - (Continued on page 10) THE EvAILY PENNSYLVANIAN - Tuesday, April 15, 1986 ! PAGE 3,
(coeon&ued from.- page~ 1) nenberg study, said the audiences "Tile 'New Right was looking for massive following. have grown only when a city that issues oil v,h;ch they could rally peo- The most well-known, and didn't show the program first, begins ple's siippsi.t, and social issues filled politically active, of the TV preachers, broadcasting it. rhe Si!!," Reichtey wrote in his study. include Swaggart, Falwell, Roberts, "Those who fear the evangelicals' "So whilc the D!d IiigRt !lad concen- Humbard and Robertson, who are all political aspirations fear that they are iraied o~ economic and Eoiei:.~ policy evangelical. gaining a larger percentage of the na- issues, tilt. New Right clnphasized Evangelicalism, one of the most tional TV audience, which they're busing, -bcrii!>i?, pornograp!iy, puritanical branches of Christianity, not," Hoover said. educsrion, rradi!ionel biblical moral regards the Bible as an infallible And according to Gerbiier: "The ualiies and qumta;." source of religious and moral ones who tune in now are the same Abortic>n .was tile main issue that ones who always did. The rest of the gained sii;iport for :he Nexi; Right. authority. p Believers emphasize direct ex- TV audience still considers religious ,ruierly ncr of major importzilce to perience by the individual of the Holy programming to be irrelevant." evangelists, the 8i.v; Right used it to : ;hc ..,,.. Spirit, of being "horn again," and Though the TV evangelists have .~.j .jt.iipvit"- of ~onscrvative they testify that through faith they this compact, loyal following, Lhey relieioui grcu~isiicli as Cat:?o:ics and have overcome insurmountable pro- have traditionally been more concerr:. %vangei:cals. Reichley said. blems - terminal diseases, fatal ac- ed with personal salvation than with In :he lY80 preside~itizl election, cidents, and financial straits. social reform. ialn~!iiiegan became the favorite Annenberg School of Communica- But James Reichley, a College of the Nr-, Right oniy'after !lie cam- tions Dean George'Gerbner is the co- alumnus and author of the 1985 study paigfis o: John Connail)' and Phillip author of the 1984 study on religion "Religion in American Public Life," Cranc firrizd. Thotigt? lie was still and television that reports that this said the turbulent events of the lare closely asshcictcd -:ith the Oid iaight, miracle-rich faith appeals to a specific 1960's and early 1970's led TV Reagan's stands 01: abortion and common audience. preachers to enter the political arena ??tiiiic .i~;zvi,r . h-!nrd im -rp/n *hp "The profile of the audience for "The Supreme Courtis decisions votes-. of t?~re!i$oc.? rigllr. religious programs tends to be fairly prohibiting organized prayer and per- 1 he key to t!;? -uat!geiiris' supporl coherent and well-defined," he said. mitting abortion caused outrage in the was aici retglstreiion, Reichley's "They are somewhat older, lower in evangelical community," Reich!cy st~~dyP,i:tI~c>~ t;~j~tin:;cd. education and income, more conser- said. "Also, the Vietnam ';\iaii -
June 13, 1986
Mr. George Gerbner Prof. Of Comm. & Dean The Anneberg School of Comm. 3620 Walnut St. C5 Philadelphia, PA 19104
Dear Dr. Gerbner:
See page 4.
I hope you like the way we handled thds.
GD:ml
Enc . NATIONAL tance of maintaining a cer- commercials for food a tain range to avoid the risk Forum Sneaker Decries year. Half of thefoodishigh of heart disease, he urged. in sugar, high in calories, Heart disease is very 1nfluenc6 of Television and low in nutrition." Com- expensive, reminded Richard NEWYORK-Morethanhalf .nine episodes of showing mercials are slick, persua- A. Stein, M.D., director of the premature illnesses and or talking about eating or sive, and hard-hitting: More cardiology at the State Uni- deaths in the United States drinking. talent, money, care, and versity of New York Health are not the result of lack of "About half the charac- sensitivity go into commer- Sciences Center: "It's better health care, but the result of ters in prime time and two- cials than into program- to make decisions about lifestyle habits that are in thirds of the characters in ming, Gerbner said. prevention in advance so great measure cultivated children's programming are "Our children grow up you don't move into the and culturally sustained by involved in some violence in an environment in which cardiac high-risk group." television, according to every day," Gerbner told they see 12 doctors a week, The problem the health George Gerbner, Dean of the audience of health edu- every week," he said. And community faces is, accord- the Annenberg School of cators and opinion leaders what do these doctors do? ing to Stein, "what can we Communications at the Uni- gathered at the Pierre Hotel. They solve all our prob- do so that people are versity of Pennsylvania. "Yet there is no pain. There lems, according to Gerbner. oriented toward health be- Gerbner made this ob- is little or no blood, and only Thzy are authoritative, pow- fore they become patients?" I I erful. daring.-, and success- The medical care sys- ful. People are given a tem has not trained physi- totally unrealistic sense of cians to emphasize preveu- physicians' availability, ac- tion of disease, "but we're cessibility, reasonability, beginning to make changes and rate of success, he said. in the education of medical Television has become students." d-pervasive. "For the first The relationship of time in history a child is choice to health was the born into a home in which resounding theme present- the set is on an average of ed by Harold H. Gardner, seven hours a day. It is like M.D., Visiting Professor, the wallpaper." Department of Community According to Gerbner,
Medicine.-.-~~-~--~ , Mount Sinai~~ ~ the medium of television School of Medicine. His George Gerbner addresses NCHE Forum. cultivates a resistance to thesis: It's not what a person change among its viewers. chooses, but who makes the servation in a luncheon talk about six percent of the And he added that execu- choice that is the key toper- to participants at the NCHE characters get treatment." tives in charge of pro- sonal health. Whitehead Forum, "Health "Drinking is totally in- gramming have little free "The health decisions Sell-Who Profits?" Feb- escapable," said Gerbner. dom. They work in a rigid that most people face are rnary 27, in New YorkCity. "It occurs at the rate of a system that is market- made in the doctor's office He cited tobacco as the little over two times per oriented and power-or- and they are framed in life- leading cause of premature hour. If the hero doesn't iented. and-death terms," Gardner death, at 1,000 people a day, reach for a gun, he will Gerbner said that he noted. "Most of the time and alcohol as the second reach for a drink, and the representsanewmovemeut doctors do the deciding and leading cause, at 200 people drink overwhelmingly is that seeks to improve our they're driven by economic a day. hard liquor." And yet the cultural environment. This incentives. Gerbner said that some consequences of smoking movement aspires to liber- "People need options one watching commercial and drinking are rarely ate television from its rigid that involve more than television for one hour dur- shown. "The ill effects of structure, extenditsresource going to the doctor. First, ing prime time sees: alcohol affect less than one base, diversify itsprograms, they must engage in self- . six acts of violence percent of all characters." and present entertainment observation; second, begin .seven acts of reckless The food situation is no that will advance learning in self-help; and, third, find driving better, according to Gerbner. the most rewarding way- professional se~ces." eight episodes of show- "A child growing up with one that heals, not hurts. -Constance Gnelka ing or talking about illness television sees about 5,000 -Gerald Delaney 10/8/1986 Buffalo Courier-Express
/ Getting- Fat and Lazy- ? You Can Blame Television BOSTON (AP) - Television's results were published in today's cy, coupled with an unrealistic characters eat. drink or talk Crime is 10 times more fre- image of the brawny hero who issue of the New England Journal belief in the 'magic of medicine,' about focd eighl times an hour. quent on television than in the tosses hack iiauor. erabs auick of Medicine. is likely to perpetuate unhealthy They grab a fast snack almost as real world, and there are five / snacks and nev'er ie& fat or'sick "The more peaple watch tele- lifestyles and to leave both pa- often as they eat breakfast. lunch acts of violence per hour during may caw poor hezlth attitudes vision, the more complacent they tients and health professionals and dinner combined. prime time. Yet pain, suffering in TV addicts. a studv concludes. are about health and exercise vulnerable to disappointment, Despite these pcor eating hab- or medical help rmly follow this Researchers say *that peopie and the more confidence they frustration and litigation," they its, fewer than 6 percent of the mavhem...... who watch television many hours have in the rnedical profession," wrote. male TV characters and 2 per- "These little things add up to a a day are Myto adopt the non- said Georee Gerbner. one of the cent of the female characters lifetime pattern of ritualistic in- ' chalant, careless outlook of the rcsearchek. "There 3 an unreal- The study said &e wults show were overweight. doctrination," said Gerbner. not- characters who populate prime istic belief in the magic powers of that "primk-time characters are The most common beverage on ing that the average family I hmeTV. medicine. Thev sav. 'U anvthi~e not only healthy (though often ihe tube p alcohol. Thirty-six watches 6% horn of television a The study was conducted at goes wrong, tie diditor wib tak; percent of the characters drink, dby. "Most of the storytelling / the Annenber~School of Com- care of it.' " vulnerable to inflicted injury) but only *bout 1 percent are al- about what life is all about, what mn~nicationsai the University of The researchers said peopie but, despite all the mayhem, eat- coholies. assumptions we make about the Pennsylvania, where researchen probably get more health inlo.- ing and drinking, are also rela- Most people on TV shows use Outside world (and) what we be. watched a week of prime-time mation from TV dramas than tively sober, safe from accidents cars, but in the week of study, lievt about conduct are Primari- and weekend programs and con- anywhere else. and slim at all ages." only one character wore a seat b and most ~ervasivelvcarried ducted surveys 01 viewers. The "The cultivation of complacez~. The researchers found that TV belt. by television.''
d TV eewea totom& more than upset the The Real Issue sodal order. Symbolic violence is the cheap eat, quicbsst. cautainly the moet en& taining show ofpower.it is the beat teacher of Of TV Violence: I who can get away with what agaiu&- womf& whom, 1 and who should submit to whom. I For every 10 male c6aracters on prime- It's Subversive time network TV who wmmit vblench 1rL men fall to violence. But for evary 10 By George Gerbner who inflict violenm on other chmahra. ma& ELEVISION violence is up again and, or female, 16 women bemme victima forthe5&timeintwodecadesof hTVdramaaoesdownthesocial~ . , the Eb9 p.m. "family order. it reha tb orice fidfor mitiawiai 'r volveil in violence. horiiyandfo&gnwcrm- hodiswviolent hour of prime time. Surveys by.my mlleagoea and me show en pay the moat For every 10 permiratam, that violent epdeaoccwred in the 19844% they &r more thaa 20 victims, double the and the 1985-86 eeewna at the record rate of relative victimization rate of white malea eight per family hour, more than sir per late- Othera most likely to be victims rather a evening hour and more than 20 per chil- than vietors are older women 'and men. dren's-0roPrarn hour. young boys and some rninoriti? We, have vioienh at this magnitude is not free &- also found that &lie dcthmtio6 on presaion nor realism nor even audieme television and real-world fear among wemat bim. Violence is orevalent on TV because it and minorities are hiehlv related - even if. 18 &eap to prod&, not because it is partieu- the learia umup&- bi &+a. Vieuam who larly popular. It is being uaed wholesale as a see that membera of their own group have a cheap dramntie ingredient.to hype dull prc- higher calculus of riaka than tbm-of other grams. Our children and ow democracy may &ups to b7el3p greatsspp?eh&= pay a high prim for a system that impoaee and rmstrust in the real world. -&it -&it fo6& on writers: direcbrs adore- Heaw viewers am mom likelv than am- ducera who know how to'mte richer f&. parable hupsof light viewers 6eqresa in- What we in the University of Peaaaylva- security, auspician and hoplessnese. Do nia's cultural indicators research oroiect alao these feelings dFLve them to televiaIon in the have found is that American telehin is im- first plam? If so, watching is no ape.It mersed in a tide of violent representations ddywniirma and deepens their detiea that is historicallv unorecedented and &ow8 Theunequal and dvee8nseofdmgw, no real aign of vulnerability and general mdakecultiwted Growing up with that tide cultivates by so-called enterbinment invites mom than heightened wnceutione of victimization, dan- incites aggression. Fearful and aliitedpeu ger, meanness &d general malaise more ple are dependent and easily manipulated, - that it incites us to violence. exploited and wntrolled. They aresusceptible Our theory can be summed up as followa: to deceptively simple, strong, toughmsaaurea While the convergence of research indicates and hard-line postures - both political and that expoaure to violence does occasionally religious. They may acmpt and even welcome incite and often dessnsitize, our findinw repression ifit promisea to relieve theirad- show that for moat viewers awosure to teis eties. That is the bmader and deeper problem vision's violence-saturated wbrld tends to of violence-laden television. create feelings of danger, mistrust, intoler- George Gerbner is denn of the Annenberg ance and -despite itstsmpposedlyentertain- School ofCornmunicati0nsat the Univer- ing and even "escapist" tonic - a sense of alienation-- and gloom.-