Media Musings: Raising children in a new TV era
For 30 years, Bob Keeshan, as Captain Kangaroo, gently and lovingly entertained millions of children and their parents over CBS television.
His death, at 76, would seem to close a major chapter in the history and art of early television and should cause some reflection in the corporate suites about the state of network offerings today. But, it won’t. The big three networks have virtually left the field and sold their Saturday mornings to other cable channels, such as Nickelodeon.
Keeshan was the pioneer, followed by Fred Rogers, of “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” for public television. Keeshan held firm beliefs about TV in the life of the child and he never wavered as his cast of characters reflected quiet charm and fun. Mr. Green Jeans loved nature and explained why it is so important and should be respected. There was the work of Cosmo Gus Allegretti, who gave life to Mr. Moose, Bunny Rabbit, Dancing Bear, the Magic Drawing Board and Grandfather Clock along with the puppeteering of Kevin Clash.
Keeshan was the first Clarabell the Clown on the old “Howdy Doody Show” and believed children should be respected and not patronized, that TV should never serve as a babysitter, and that gentleness was a mark of civility. Those beliefs were those of Fred Rogers, whose gentleness was a refreshing antidote to other forms of children’s programming, even then.
Those beliefs seem reinforced today as psychologists and researchers working inside of the life of the child say over and over to treat children as Keeshan did. The wondrous work of Bill Cosby both in children’s programming and on the Cosby show again showed how important it is for parents to listen, to talk with (not to) their children and to reinforce their best instincts.
Local TV stations did not ignore children by producing live programming for them during the early years in Nashville.
At Channel 5, there was Bob (Captain Bob) Lobertini, and Bill (Captain Bill) Jay and the first horror movie series, “Shock Theater.” At Channel 4, Boyce Hawkins was Happy A Clown and Sir Cecil Creep did horror on Saturday nights after the late news. On Channel 2 (it was Channel 8 during these years before there was a channel swap), Miss Nancy and Miss Norma did “Romper Room.”
As this milestone marks the passing of such programming and artists, it seems proper to look at the current state of the art as well. It’s obvious the lessons learned from these early performers about children have often been ignored and dismissed as “another era.” Well, it is another era.
For many reasons, millions of children are today latch-key, running into the apartment and hitting the auto-dial on the phone to report to mom or dad they are at home, safe and sound. But TV is there offering the sounds and images from across the entire history of American TV as cable desperately searches for content. And TV becomes baby sitter. Top child psychologists are now recommending no TV sets should be placed in a child’s room.
Children’s games are video games, and the latest research indicates their use increases cognitive ability and eye-hand coordination. But many of the games are raw, and even though they are carrying parental guidelines, we all know older kids share the rougher games with siblings.
Perhaps this is where we are: with Keeshan and Rogers and local clowns, the parents feel secure in walking away. Today, more than ever, parents are challenged to find the time – in a society where both parents have to work to pay huge consumer debt – to sit with their kids.
So, here’s a salute to all of the pioneers who have left us: Thanks for the memories.
(Ed Kimbrell is professor in MTSU’s School of Journalism.)