The Parents Television Council (PTC) has reported that the number of “storylines depicting violence against females are increasing”. Now I have to say that I am all for awareness. However, the TV shows have also been depicting these violence in a more graphic way, blurring the line between helping raise awareness and desensitizing viewers to violence against women, or worse, trivializing the whole issue.

According to Tim Winter, PTC’s president, “Our new research points to a disturbing trend: by depicting violence against women with increasing frequency, or as a trivial, even humorous matter, the broadcast networks may ultimately be contributing to a desensitized atmosphere in which people view aggression and violence directed at women as normative, even acceptable.”

Here are their major findings:

Violence, irrespective of gender, on television increased only 2% from 2004 to 2009, while incidents of violence against women increased 120% during that same period.

1. Every network but ABC demonstrated a significant increase in the number of storylines that included violence against women between 2004 and 2009. (Hooray for ABC!)

2. Although female victims were primarily of adult age, collectively, there was a 400% increase in the depiction of teen girls as victims across all networks from 2004 to 2009.

3. Fox stood out for using violence against women as a punch line in its comedies — in particular Family Guy and American Dad — trivializing the gravity of the issue of violence against women. (Boo to Fox!)

4. From 2004 to 2009 there was an 81% increase in incidences of intimate partner violence on television.

Read the entire study “Women in Peril” here.

Ever since I discovered Criminal Minds, I got really hooked on this show. The main premise is interesting – a group of psychologists trying to get into the minds of criminals in order to catch them. The main characters are smart and have their own quirks. The different cases are spun so well that you can’t help but ask for more – and more.

I am not the only hooked on this show – I am sure. Look it up and you will see countless blogs and sites writing about Criminal Minds. When they went on a break recently, I found myself impatiently waiting for the next episodes. Now that they’re back, I am quite happy – I think.

Thinking about it more, though, I think that I am missing some things that I used to experience in the past seasons. Let me share them with you and let me know if you think the same way.

1. I miss Gideon. Mandy Patinkin gave the show a solid feel that Joe Mantegna (Rossi) just doesn’t. I am not saying the Rossi is not a good character but there seems to be something missing.
2. I miss the interaction between Morgan and Garcia. There may be something between the two or there might not be anything but that is beside the point. Whenever the two talk on the phone and flirt, it gives the show a different twist.

You miss anything else or do are you liking the show as it is?

Matrix fans who are also into CSI found themselves short of ecstatic the night that Laurence Fishburne debuted on CSI. According to the statistics of that night’s airing of the very popular show, the ratings of the show went up to numbers that are so far the highest for this season. It seems, however, that the high ratings cannot be totally attributed to Fishburne’s first appearance. According to The Live Feed, other television networks showed repeats on the same hour that night. Naturally, viewers would choose to watch something new over something that they have already seen.

The report on The Live Feed provides the numbers:

“CSI” was seen by 20.6 million viewers and earned a 5.7 preliminary rating among adults 18-49. Lead-in “Survivor” (13.2 million, 4.1) was up slightly from last week. Moreover, 10 p.m.’s “Eleventh Hour” (13.4 million, 3.8) enjoyed its best performance ever — and marked the first time the freshman series has won its hour.

For those who have been following CSI, it is a well known fact that William Petersen is central to the show. The fact that he is leaving has been worrying a lot of people – both on the production side and the viewer side. Will Laurence Fishburne be a suitable replacement for the longstanding Petersen? Will his character be able to sustain the momentum that the show has gathered through time?

These questions – and more – will only be answered when the departure is made final in the next few episodes. CSI fans, what do you think?

Welcome to the new Erati!!