Channel 7 complaint
September 25th 2006 03:56
Much to my husband's distress I have become 'one of those'. I'm one of those people who get indignant about things and then claim, "I'm going to write a letter!” Half the time I don't know who to, or why I would. But I feel a sense of power in writing irritating complaint letters. I was once told that the television stations view one letter as being equivalent to 1000 people's opinions. That's a lot of people squeezed onto one page!
I don't know you have seen an ad that channel 7 run during children's programming. It's an ad for a silent mobile phone ring tone and the selling point is "kids, fool your teachers and parents with this silent ring tone". I was really upset when I was watching TV with my 6-year-old son and that ad came on. My son does have a mobile (because the stupid school bus never drops him at the same spot and I need to know where he is!) but luckily he didn't seem remotely interested in the product. None the less I was not impressed - so I wrote a letter.
Today I received a letter saying:
Dear Mrs XXXXXXX
Thank you for your letter of 14 August 2006, in relation to an advertisement for Silent Ring Tones broadcast during the program Heavyweights on Sunday, 13 August 2006. Your letter has been referred to me for reply.
While we appreciate the point you are making about use of mobile phones and silent ring tones the issue of control of the use of mobile phones by children and teenagers is primarily a parental matter. For example, it is possible to block access to premium charge telephone services through the relevant telecommunications company.
Thank you for taking the time to contact the network to express your opinion. Letters such as yours provide valuable feedback into community attitudes and concerns.
Complaints about the content of advertisements are the responsibility of the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) and we have forwarded your letter to them for their response.
Yours Sincerely
XXXXXXXX
I am glad they finally responded, but I feel they missed my point entirely. I am not concerned that they are targeting mobile ring tones at kids; advertisers always try and suck kids into getting their parents to buy things. For me the problem is they are promoting secrecy in children, to hide their actions and acquaintances from their parents and teachers. In a time such as now where every day there are stories of predators using the net and mobiles to lure children into dangerous situations I think it is reckless for any company to be saying "you cool dudes, it's so ace if you hide your actions from your parents". What kind of attitudes so they really think they are propelling? Arg I can't even articulate what I am trying to say anymore, I'm just so appalled by any marketing team coming up with the idea of hiding things from your parents. If ANY child goes on to think it's ok to hide their phone activities form their parents and end up hurt I hope channel 7 reflect on it. It’s not the money. Man $6 is not that much compared to my children's safety. Raising children to be honest and open id hard enough without TV telling them it would be cool to hide things from me.
I don't know you have seen an ad that channel 7 run during children's programming. It's an ad for a silent mobile phone ring tone and the selling point is "kids, fool your teachers and parents with this silent ring tone". I was really upset when I was watching TV with my 6-year-old son and that ad came on. My son does have a mobile (because the stupid school bus never drops him at the same spot and I need to know where he is!) but luckily he didn't seem remotely interested in the product. None the less I was not impressed - so I wrote a letter.
Today I received a letter saying:
Dear Mrs XXXXXXX
Thank you for your letter of 14 August 2006, in relation to an advertisement for Silent Ring Tones broadcast during the program Heavyweights on Sunday, 13 August 2006. Your letter has been referred to me for reply.
While we appreciate the point you are making about use of mobile phones and silent ring tones the issue of control of the use of mobile phones by children and teenagers is primarily a parental matter. For example, it is possible to block access to premium charge telephone services through the relevant telecommunications company.
Thank you for taking the time to contact the network to express your opinion. Letters such as yours provide valuable feedback into community attitudes and concerns.
Yours Sincerely
XXXXXXXX
I am glad they finally responded, but I feel they missed my point entirely. I am not concerned that they are targeting mobile ring tones at kids; advertisers always try and suck kids into getting their parents to buy things. For me the problem is they are promoting secrecy in children, to hide their actions and acquaintances from their parents and teachers. In a time such as now where every day there are stories of predators using the net and mobiles to lure children into dangerous situations I think it is reckless for any company to be saying "you cool dudes, it's so ace if you hide your actions from your parents". What kind of attitudes so they really think they are propelling? Arg I can't even articulate what I am trying to say anymore, I'm just so appalled by any marketing team coming up with the idea of hiding things from your parents. If ANY child goes on to think it's ok to hide their phone activities form their parents and end up hurt I hope channel 7 reflect on it. It’s not the money. Man $6 is not that much compared to my children's safety. Raising children to be honest and open id hard enough without TV telling them it would be cool to hide things from me.
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