Masquerading as 'music videos'
Kylie Minogues former producer Mike Stock, formerly of Stock Aitken Waterman records which launched Kylie Minogue's career has condemned today's music videos as 'soft core porn.'
"The music industry has gone too far," he said.
"It's not about me being old fashioned. It's about keeping values that are important in the modern world. These days you can't watch modern stars like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga with a two-year-old."
"Ninety-nine per cent of the charts is R 'n B and 99 per cent of that is soft pornography."
Gaga's latest music video Alejandro, complete with simulated group sex and religious symbolism,has been criticised as one of the most controversial.
Stock names Lady Gaga and Britney Spears as artists producing soft core porn music videos.
He could have also mentioned Katy Perry
Interestingly, Katy Perry is credited in this article as being one to speak out against sexualised music videos. This is not accurate. What she actually said through Twitter is, 'Using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke.' It was believed she was referencing Lady Gaga's video. She said nothing about sexualisation. This would certainly be a hypocritical position for her to take in light of ‘California Girls’ (featuring 'Snoop Dogg') where she spends parts of the video naked amoung all the things children love - lollies, cakes, bright colours.
Check out the lyrics:
Come on boys, hanging out
All that ass hanging out
Bikinis, tankinis, martinis,
No weenies, just to get in betweeny
Katy my lady....
Obviously rhyming is a strong point, not so much creativity, artistic integrity, originality (see, I can rhyme too). There is a strong focus on women and the physical pleasure they can provide for men.
Not surprising since 'Snoop Dogg' admits to being a Pimp and produces hardcore pornographic films.
Snoop Dogg is also known for showing up to an awards ceremony with women on leashes.
From 'I should be so lucky' to 'all the lovers.' Kylie's transition to porn pop.
When I was 11, I drove my mother mad playing Kylie Minogue's record ("What's a record?" asks my 11-year-old). I also really wanted that hat, the one with the top cut out of it and her voluminous curls spilling out.
The following year I also got a spiral perm. Back then, Minogues music was cute and fun. I remember receiving a special Kylie Minogue magazine where she talked about all the things she loved – chocolate, the Lion the Witch and the wardrobe (book) and horses.
I guess she knew who her fans were.
Twenty years later Kylie - who still looks 20-years-old - is passed around a mountain of writhing, half naked people while singing about ‘all the lovers.’ She is as half dressed and pornified as many other female pop singers.
However it is still little girls who like pop music and watch music videos. As one tween put on her facebook status:
"Kylie Minogues video is like, really ewwwww." Well spotted.
She knew that Kylie Minogues video was a bit 'ewwww' because she saw it on Saturday morning along with the rest of the primary school and teenaged population.
Mike Stock has spoken out about something that child advocates have been campaigning about for years.
So why has nothing changed?
The government response to the 2008 Senate Inquiry's recommendations regarding music videos said:
Recommendation 4
The committee recommends that broadcasters review their classification of music videos specifically with regard to sexualising imagery.
Australian Government Response
The Government notes this recommendation.
The Government believes that the classification system is intended to reflect community standards. At present, complaints statistics indicate a low level of community concern about musicvideos. Statistics provided to the Government by Free TV Australia show that, of all complaints received by broadcasters over the past 5 years, only 0.8% have been about a music video program. Free TV Australia has also advised that there was no level of concern raised in the 1300 submissions to the last Code review.
Where to start with this flawed statement?
We have a system that relies on the public to make complaints to various (so-called) regulatory bodies to determine what is called 'community standards.' However the issue at hand is that of children watching music videos on Saturday morning. So, is the government expecting children to complain about these programs?
People would respond to this by saying "no, it is the parents who should be making complaints about music videos, or just turn off the TV." Of course. Obviously it is adults who should make complaints. Yet most parents would not think they needed to monitor the television so closely on Saturday morning. They would hold the view that "obviously" a g-rated or pg rated program is not going to feature scenes of simulated sex. Right?
If only.
Make your voice heard
According to a Free TV representative at an industry seminar last year, only a small proportion of kids watch music videos' and they hardly get any complaints. Therefore there isn't a problem. However we know that many people recognise music videos as a problem and research on this issue validates their concerns. We have found that many people don't know where to complain, or don't think their complaint will make a difference.
It's time to enlighten Free TV with the reality - music videos are very popular with young people, however children are unlikely to make a complaint themselves, nor should they have to. It is not for children to set 'community standards' it is for adults to uphold standards for them.
Here is what we are asking you to do:
- Pay attention to what is on your television on Saturday morning.
- When you see a music video with hyper-sexualised/pornified imagery and lyrics, write down the name of the song and artist and the name of the program you were watching at the time. (for example, 'video hits.')
- Go to www.freetv.com.au and fill in the online complaint form. Tell Collective Shout what you've done, send us a copy of your complaint and any response you receive. Other members love to read them.
- Put pressure on your local MP's to ask them what they are doing to help stem the tide of sexualisation of children. Check out our campaign here and follow the steps to make your voice heard.
Dreamworlds 3
This will hopefully motivate you to take action.
The Collective Shout team recently watched a documentary called 'Dreamworlds 3.' Dreamworlds examines the stories contemporary music videos tell about girls and women, and encourages viewers to consider how these narratives shape individual and cultural attitudes about sexuality. Here is a short preview of Dreamworlds 3. The video is confronting. *Trigger Warning*
More reading:
Lady Gaga IS poisoning children's minds
Public Outcry grows as pop star shock tactics get more and more extreme
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