Part of the Picture

Amid all the chatter on the new rating system the television industry plans to implement, no one seems to mention that all the decisions about what shows are appropriate for children are being made by adults.

In classroom No. 133 at Buena High School, a group of teens in the school’s journalism program have embarked on a project that lets parents and educators know what they think of upcoming television shows.

Two 17-year-old Buena High media reviewers, Ignelly Taylor and Kate Chapek, will take part in a regular segment, being broadcast nationwide, giving their opinions about whether programs on stations from MTV to PBS are any good and what age group the shows may be appropriate for.

“Most of the adults don’t listen to us, and they’re always saying, ‘It’s for your own good, it’s for your own good,’ but they never ask us if it is for our own good,” Ignelly said.

With their new segment on “Education Showcase,” broadcast on cable stations across the country, the teens can voice their opinions about upcoming shows and say “exactly what other people our age are thinking about certain things,” Ignelly said.

So far this month, the students’ commentaries have already been carried by more than 30 cable stations and beamed to more than 28 million television sets. Ventura residents can catch the teens’ first segment on local cable this week and watch as Ignelly and Kate share their opinions about MTV’s upcoming program “Smashed,” which deals with teenage alcohol use.

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For months, the television industry has worked to devise a rating system that reflects what age group a show may be right for; President Bill Clinton recently gave the television industry the OK to unveil the system.

Viewers who tune in to “Education Showcase” may not hear the opinions that Buena students have on network TV shows such as “Melrose Place” or “The X-Files,” but they will hear opinions on upcoming cable programs.

During Kate’s first critique, she suggests that MTV’s program “Smashed” isn’t hard-hitting enough and fails to discuss the consequences of teenage drinking.

“The danger of addiction and long-term problems were overlooked and barely mentioned,” Kate says during her review of the show. “Instead of addressing alcoholism as a disease with long-term side effects, the possibility of alcoholism is ignored in the tape and referred to as ‘binge drinking.’ ”

And while the TV industry may be disclosing what programs require a PG or PG-14 rating, Buena High School students have been giving their own opinions on what age group “Smashed” is right for.

In her critique, Ignelly says “Smashed” isn’t the type of video that can be shown “out of the blue” to a younger audience. She suggests that the video be shown in a ninth-grade health class, but she also cautions that nothing can take the place of good parenting.

“So, Mom and Dad, educate your kids on alcohol abuse,” Ignelly says in her review. “MTV’s video ‘Smashed’ is a good start, but remember that you hold the key to a brighter future for tomorrow’s generation.”

For six years, students at Buena have created a news segment for the local cable stations, but they were recently contacted by executives from Education Showcase, a Connecticut company broadcasting a half-hour television segment that includes evaluations of educational shows.

“We felt we were getting a lot of feedback from teachers and parents but weren’t hearing from the kids, and I heard about these kids,” said Tricia Dressler, executive producer of “Education Showcase.” “We sent them a show we were going to be highlighting. They viewed it and critiqued it and did a fantastic job.”

Consequently, the students have been invited to be part of the show each month, critiquing educational programs in advance of the broadcast date.

“You should see it,” Dressler said of the first show. “It’s unbelievable. . . . Every time I look at it, I can’t believe these kids are in high school. I thought they did a professional job. I’ve had a couple of people say to me, give them a couple of weeks somewhere, and they’ll be ready for network TV.”

Gregg Norberg, the visual communications instructor who started the television class at Buena, said the program has come a long way.

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When the class began six years ago, Norberg scrambled to get the basics. The background of the set was created with curtains taken from his own bedroom. And the table on the set was missing a leg. For equipment, the school had to ask for grants and donations.

With student and community volunteers, the set now has a more sophisticated, MTV-type of look, with a nice desk, fake windows and lockers in the background. Students have a Hi-8 television camera and a TelePrompTer for the scripts. But the nationwide show has been a high point.

“To me, it was a proud moment,” he said of seeing his students on TV. “For six years, the kids have toiled to get that.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

FYI

In Ventura, the Buena High School segment on the national “Education Showcase” will be broadcast on Channel 6 on Avenue and Century Cable at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 6 p.m. Thursday and 7 p.m. Friday. The students’ local show, “Buena 96,” is broadcast at 6 p.m. every other Monday on Channel 6.