| Not Censorship |
10 November 2003
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"The Reagans" Pulled by CBS -- Exiled to Showtime
In one of those instances where just about everyone involved is wrong, Viacom has decided that its free-TV network CBS will not show the two part miniseries "The Reagans" and will put it out on premium channel Showtime for those who subscribe. The Right cried foul over the content (which almost no one has seen), the Left whined about censorship (despite the program being broadcast uncut later this month).
Perhaps it was having James Brolin (a/k/a Mr. Barbara "Ultra-Liberal" Streisand) play the 40th president. Or maybe it was putting out anything during Mr. Reagan's current battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Yet the usual gang of rightists condemned the lese majeste the show allegedly contained -- without seeing it or reading the script in most cases. They claimed it was biased, unfair, and unbalanced.
On the left, Hollyweird's usual mob of mushy pinks decried the censorship of the decision, and by misusing the term have rendered themselves even more laughable than before. Censorship is a governmental action that reduces or prohibits political discussion. Viacom is under no requirement to air any program on CBS, and in fact, by putting it on Showtime, is not encumbered by the naughty word police at Standards & Practices. No broadcaster or publisher is required to put out anything contrary to in-house taste. Rupert Murdoch doesn't have to have any liberals on FOX, the Washington Post needn't toe a conservative line, and the Kensington Review is not engaging in censorship if stupidity is not given a platform.
Mr. Reagan, even as he ages in isolation, remains a controversial figure. Darling of the right, demon of the left, he generates as much controversy now as he did in the White House. In future, there will be documentaries, docu-dramas, movies and more about him. It would be best if those who worked themselves up into a purple snit over this program remember something: "MacBeth" is not an accurate portrayal of the reign of the Scottish king by that name, and if it isn't on, that doesn't mean Mr. Shakespeare has been censored.
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