WWE Goes PG
There are some reports circulating throughout the Internet that WWE is changing all its ratings for its television programs to TV-PG from the previous TV-14 to help attract a younger demo.
Indeed, that change appears to be effective immediately, as WWE posted the following on WWEParents.com:
All WWE television programs are rated PG in recognition of the growing appeal of our programs to all ages and as intergenerational family viewing. If parents make the decision to allow their children to watch our programming, we encourage those parents to watch with their children. We urge parents who allow younger children to watch our programming to explain that what our Superstars do on television should not be emulated or attempted in real life.
I, for one, say kudos. While I am far from a prude, I think WWE only stands to gain by toning down some of its content to appeal to a broader fan base. Really, what do we stand to lose? Fifth grade toilet humor? Our umpteenth Diva thong contest? Over the top violence, such as setting a car on fire with a wrestler inside?
The only thing I would potentially miss - and I'm not sure if it would be affected by the change - would be the occasional bloodletting in matches. Some wrestling promotions have relied too heavily on blading over the years, but there's no question that, when done right and reserved for special occasions, some juicing can go a long way toward telling an intensely dramatic story in a match. Just watch the Chris Jericho - Shawn Michaels match from last Sunday from proof.
When I was watching the WWF as a kid, it was a very child-oriented product - complete with a Saturday morning cartoon. Obviously, that was going a bit too far in one direction, but as an expectant father, I certainly want to be able to watch wrestling with my kid and not have to question if I'm being a lousy parent by doing so.
There's a middleground between overly cartoonish kid stuff and smut, and I hope WWE is moving in that direction. Stars like Rey Mysterio, John Cena and the Undertaker are perfect examples of characters that can appeal to all ages.
Another option that I would like to see WWE make better use of is a separate WWE kids show, perhaps airing on a Saturday morning, that recaps the week's programming in a cleaned-up, family-friendly fashion, and also offers features that would appeal to children. With WWE recently creating a separate WWE Magazine for kids, this idea may not be far behind.
In fact, the little-watched "A.M. Raw" was originally intended as just such a program, but it was moved to the ridiculous 2 a.m. Saturday night slot. Even I'm not up that late on most nights.
As for encouraging children not to "try this at home" - Good luck. I would venture to guess that just about every male wrestling fan over the age of 6 with a brother, a bed mattress - or at least a carpeted floor - occasionally plays make-believe Monday Night Raw at home.
I can still remember the day when I upset my big brother for the Rosedale Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship in my parents' basement.
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Comments (9)
THE RTC - RIGHT TO CENSOR - STRIKES AGAIN!!!!!!!!
It's been child/family orientated for years now. Probably since late 06. I would have said since Cena's first long run, but having live sex celebrations kind of disproves that. Since late 06 though, it's already been toned down a heck of a lot.
And I don't think we will stop the big 'murder' angles. That's if people are still cool with calling that murder but not HHH hitting someone with a sledgehammer, or any hardcore match. This change will have been coming for a while, so the product will have been set in preparation for it. The fact that we got the JBL/Cena stuff recently means that's going to be part of it. It isn't a sudden change.
I'd say the reason they are changing it isn't because they are now toning it down - they've already done that - but because they want to encourage more family viewing instead of it just being something a teenager would watch by himself. It makes it clear that a parent can be proud of watching with their kid. It also means that if they do the big angles like at the end of the Raw a couple of weeks back, that the parents can explain that it isn't real. They know kids watch anyway, so this is an effort to accomodate that.
Anyway, my main point isn't that we are suddenly going to get changes. The changes, whatever they will have been, will have been put in motion for a while now. The product we have been seeing for the last few months is likely the one we will continue to get after the change in rating.
This might actually improve the product if they can't rely on cheap jokes and random blood. Giving less screen time to talentless divas is never a bad idea.
It sounds like WWE is realigning with its most loyal target market of those born in and around 1979. When those kids were 8-years-old, they got hooked on wrestling thanks in large part to Hulkamania in 1987.
As those kids were turnining 16, 17, and 18, Stone Cold Steve Austin was the much-loved star, thanks in large part to a rebellious attitude as you might expect teenagers to have.
Now that these kids are 27, 28, and 29, they are settling down with families, and WWE wants them to pass along their love for what is (now) WWE to their offspring, which could reasonably be aged 4-6. Sunrise, sunset...
The night WWE went "PG" was probably when Cena spray-painted "JBL is poopy" on his limo. That did it.
Wow its amazing how cyclical the wrestling business can be...
Remember the '80s boom from about 85-90? Remember the early '90s period where business dropped off in 91-93? Then remember the mid '90s (94-96 ESPECIALY 1995) where they exploded with a childish product to recapture young viewers? Then those young viewers grew up and suddenly we hit the Attitude Era in 1998?
Same process here...the boom of the Attitude Era lasted until about 2001...then business leveled off an tanked in the past 6 or so years...so now we will tone down for a couple of years...grab the children, then let them grow up and we hit another boom in a few years...
Professional Wrestling...As The World Turns...
personally, i think this is a trend that we need to get used to. in a few years, they will go back into the TV-14 as the kids get older. i like it, but if the product they put on tv starts to resemble like a 10 year is putting it together, then there will be a problem. lets face it, the last thing that will remain for us adults will be the PPVs.
Apparently, this does not include CANADIAN children, as evident from the sweepstakes on WWESHOPZONE.com. Has anyone read the official rules to this contest? If so, this is enough to make me proud to be an American:
"If a selected entrant for any prize resides in Canada, he/she must first correctly answer, without assistance of any kind, mechanical or otherwise, a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question to be administered at a pre-arranged time by telephone; if such a selected entrant residing in Canada fails to correctly answer the mathematical skill-testing questions, he/she will be deemed to have forfeited the prize and an alternate winner will be randomly selected and confirmed a winner in accordance with these Official Rules."
USA! USA!
this pg mess that got going on really needs to stop i remember a few years ago around before john cena first came it was packed in the arena and it was great angles the blood violence the divas the hardcore matches and the cage matches my god do we even have cage matches anymore and if we do its like 5 mins long without even a drop of blood but they went though this before with the new generation era then they sprung the attitude era so this pg mess will be over soon but even john cena was cool for awhile he had a Cd with a parental advisory on it and well that was good call beacuase of the stuff he said those were some good times now one side of the arena is empty but in the world would they make wwe kids magazine