Last
Friday's Alan Titchmarsh Show had a brief discussion about
violent video games which featured some chap who's editor of
VideoGames.com, also present were actress Julie Peasgood and Kelvin
Mackenzie, former editor of The Sun.
The chap seemed to be fighting his corner quite well until Julie
Peasgood opened her mouth saying that many of these games promoted,
violence, racism and sexism, which got a huge round of applause from
the audience. This statement was allowed to go unchallenged, which was a
shame as I would have liked to have heard what games she'd played that
promoted these things.
But anyway, she then went on to say that A recent study in the US
found a direct link between children's behaviour and the violent video
games they play.
The chap countered that argument by saying that the UK Governments
own research by Tanya Byron found no evidence that was true, which
resulted in a few jeers from the audience. Which I found quite
disturbing considering the audience would accept an emotive
unsubstantiated claim, whilst pouring scorn on a stated fact.
Kelvin Mackenzie then chimed in about James Bulger's killers being
corrupted by violent media, which really made me seethe considering that
story was a press fabrication by the very paper he used to work for.
Again, the guy who worked for the games site made some good points,
but he obviously wasn't a seasoned debater. He seemed to be playing
defence most of the time, when he would have been better going on
the attack and forcing the other 2 to try and substantiate their claims,
which would have crumbled under the slightest scrutiny.
Comment:
Peasgood spotted acting in violent video game
23rd March 2010. From Dan
I
just watched the anti-video game bollox on Alan Titchmarsh.
Why didn't they just burn the guy from the video games website and
have done with it?
Julie Peasgood thinks violent for entertainment is wrong? But
apparently she lent her voice to a horror game:
See
article from
computerandvideogames.com:
Hordes have you have been left fuming by the
claims of actress-cum-'sexpert' Julie Peasgood on the Alan Titchmarsh
Show last week - on which CVG editor Tim defended the games industry.
She's the one who said video games were
addictive and promote racism, remember? Oh - and we quote -
was categorically against violence for entertainment. And yet a
bit of digging... and hey presto. There's the credit for Julie's
appearance voicing Harroway in survival horror video game Martian
Gothic: Unification.
According to Wikipedia:
In Martian Gothic, the player is able to assume
the roles of three characters sent from Earth to a Martian base called
Vita. Upon arrival the player finds that all the residents are
apparently dead and must gradually uncover the secrets and nature the
last undertaking by Vita 1's crew; the discovery of ancient Martian
"Pandora's Box" which, when opened, started a chain of chaotic events
that led to the base's downfall, and death of all almost its
inhabitants.
However, during the player's progress of
uncovering the truth, searching for any possible survivors, and solving
Vita 1's many mounting problems, the player finds that the dead crew
have become re-animated like zombies who wish to feast upon the team of
three's flesh.
Comment:
Peasgood spotted acting in violent film
23rd March 2010. From Andy
On
the Alan Titchmarsh show, while discussing violent video games, Julie
Peasgood comments: I am categorically against violence for
entertainment, it is just wrong.
Am interesting comment coming from an actress who starred in the
cannon produced horror film House of the Long Shadows, who's
character if I'm not mistaken dies a violent death when her face is
eaten away with acid.
Interesting how somebody who can have such strict beliefs, abandons
them when there is a pay cheque involved!!!
Offsite:
Audience whipped up into a censorial frenzy
Thanks to
article
from
mediasnoops.wordpress.com
26th March 2010. Based on
article from
gamesetwatch.com by Lewis Denby
Hearing the floor manager tell the octagenarian crowd to 'really
let your feelings be known if he says something you don't agree with'
seconds before filming was pretty disconcerting. I hope you noted the
targeted 'he' in that sentence. I certainly did.
Tim Ingham admits he didn't expect anything less, though. As you
might be aware, the CVG game website editor recently appeared on UK
television's The Alan Titchmarsh Show, as part of a feature on the
dangers of violent gaming to children.
...Read the full
article
Petition:
Petition for a public apology from The Alan Titchmarsh Show
26th March 2010. Sign the
petition at
petitionspot.com
We, the undersigned, call on The Alan
Titchmarsh Show to issue a public apology for their unfair and biased
representation of the computer gaming industry on 18/3/10. We also
call on Julie Peasgood to issue a public apology for hypocritically
criticising an industry to which she has contributed.
Our grievance with the programme falls into
three parts:
Breach of the Ofcom code
We feel that The Alan Titchmarsh Show has
breached the Ofcom broadcasting code several times during the course
of this programme. Specifically:
- Tim Ingham recounts how the audience was
encouraged before recording began to specifically boo him when they
disagreed with him. No such recommendation was made regarding the
other guests. This is a clear violation of article 7.2 of the Ofcom
code, which requires that all contributors be treated fairly and
equally.
- Ingham states that Kelvin MacKenzie's
positive responses to his points were largely edited out to make him
seem more sceptical. This violates articles 5.7 and 7.6 of the Ofcom
code, which require that views not be misrepresented and that
editing reflect the contributions made.
- Julie Peasgood cited a piece of research
but failed to name it. This violates article 7.9 which states that
material facts must be presented in a fair way. By failing to
identify the study, Peasgood offered no chance of rebuttal.
Perpetuation of misconceptions
We feel that very little research was
undertaken by The Alan Titchmarsh Show before this discussion took
place. Alan Titchmarsh did not know the names of the games and clearly
did not understand that video games are classified and age-restricted
in exactly the same way as films. This show perpetuates the
misconception that all video games are aimed at children.
Julie Peasgood
Julie Peasgood provided voice acting for the
character of Harroway for the PC and PlayStation survival horror game
Martian Gothic: Unification, released in 2000. This game
carries the ESRB rating Mature (17+), and contains several scenes of
graphic violence. Yet Peasgood makes no mention of this during the
show. Instead she makes categorical statements such as:
- Video games are addictive, they promote
hatred, racism, sexism, and they reward violence. What kind of a
message is that?
- I am categorically against violence for
entertainment. It is just wrong.
To make such accusations while at the same
time profiting from the industry you are criticising is a sickening
display of hypocrisy.
In conclusion, we the undersigned seek a
public apology from The Alan Titchmarsh Show for its breach of
Ofcom guidelines and its perpetuation of misconceptions about video
games, and from Julie Peasgood for her hypocritical statements and
exaggerated claims.
...Sign the
petition
Comment:
Research research
26th March 2010.
From DarkAngel on the Melon Farmers Forum
I believe the "research" Julie Peasgood reffered to was THIS study by
American Psychologist Craig A Anderson of Iowa State University, which
appeared in the March issue of the American Psychological Associations
bulletin. The extract can be viewed
here [pdf].
However, his findings, not to mention methods of compiling data, have
come in for heavy criticism from others. Not least, Christopher Ferguson
and John Kilburn of the department of behavioural applied science and
criminal justice at Texas A&M International University.
The Washington Post gives details
here...
Another thing, if you do some digging, it seems that Craig Anderson
clearly has some sort of axe to grind against violent media. Most of his
research seems to be dedicated to proving links between violent media
and behaviour.
