do you think a children's show today could get away with a character named mr. mcfeely?
- linda 2-27-2003 6:01 pm [add a comment]

Remember Hippo Nohungus? Children's literature is rife with subtextual sex; maybe it's to keep the parents awake. Mr Roger's peculiar genius was his ablity to present complex subjects like DEATH in a soothing & simple manner. There is something basically creepy about teaching kids anything less than the whole truth. Can you say We are all going to die, D-I-E & then we will all be dead. D-E-A-D. It ain't easy & I model a small part of my childcare philosophy on what I learned from Mr Rogers. I hope they come out with a Best Of DVD.
- frank 2-27-2003 7:40 pm [add a comment]

• There, there; do you want to talk about it?
  - alex 2-27-2003 9:19 pm [add a comment]

The importance to me of the image of that trolley going through the tunnel into the land of make believe cannot be overstated.
- jim 2-27-2003 7:47 pm [add a comment]

And also a champion of fair use rights?

In [the Sony Betamax] ruling that home time-shift recording of television programming for private use was not copyright infringement, the Supreme Court relied on testimony from television producers who did not object to such home recording. One of the most prominent witnesses on this issue was Fred Rogers.

The Supreme Court wrote: "Second is the testimony of Fred Rogers, president of the corporation that produces and owns the copyright on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. The program is carried by more public television stations than any other program. Its audience numbers over 3,000,000 families a day. He testified that he had absolutely no objection to home taping for noncommercial use and expressed the opinion that it is a real service to families to be able to record children's programs and to show them at appropriate times. "

(Excerpt from Mr. Rogers' trial testimony: ) "Some public stations, as well as commercial stations, program the 'Neighborhood' at hours when some children cannot use it. . . . I have always felt that with the advent of all of this new technology that allows people to tape the 'Neighborhood' off-the-air, and I'm speaking for the 'Neighborhood' because that's what I produce, that they then become much more active in the programming of their family's television life. Very frankly, I am opposed to people being programmed by others. My whole approach in broadcasting has always been 'You are an important person just the way you are. You can make healthy decisions.' Maybe I'm going on too long, but I just feel that anything that allows a person to be more active in the control of his or her life, in a healthy way, is important."

Holy Holy Holy...
- frank 3-01-2003 7:17 pm [add a comment]

Weird get your war on tribute.
- jim 3-03-2003 7:42 pm [add a comment]