TLC

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'''TLC''' (formerly '''The Learning Channel''') is an [[United States|American]] television network featuring rednecks, [[psychics]], dwarves, [[polygamy|polygamists]], religious [[fundamentalist]]s with [[19 Kids and Counting|giant families]], and anyone who lives differently than the majority of the American population.  [[Ironic]]ally, it was founded by [[NASA]] and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare as an [[education]]al channel in 1972 (as the '''Appalachian Community Service Network'''). It became "The Learning Channel" after being [[privatization|privatized]] in 1980.<ref name=tlc-history>Audrey Watters, [http://hackeducation.com/2015/05/30/the-learning-channel What Happened to Educational Television: The Story of 'The Learning Channel'] hackeducation.com, 30 May 2015.</ref> Well. 

Like other similar channels (the [[History Channel]], [[Discovery Channel]] and [[Nat Geo|National Geographic]] in lesser degree), its educational programming gradually was replaced by more profitable stuff, focused on entertainment, such as various "reality TV" shows, usually with a very tenuous relation to [[reality]]. The owners had the decency to drop the "learning" from the brand around the beginning of the 2000's and nowadays the channel is known simply as "TLC".<ref>Jane Wells, [https://www.cnbc.com/id/42451980 When Did The Learning Channel Become The Leering Channel?] CNBC, 6 April 2011.</ref><ref name=tlc-history />

==Sensationalism, pseudoscience and woo==
Some of the shows on TLC promote [[sensationalism]] and [[pseudoscience]]. In particular, the show ''{{wpl|Long Island Medium}}'' promotes the idea that people can [[spiritualism|communicate with the dead]].<ref>Barb Oates, [https://www.channelguidemag.com/tv-news/2011/09/23/interview-with-long-island-medium-theresa-caputo-on-new-tlc-series/ Interview with “Long Island Medium” Theresa Caputo on new TLC series]. Channel Guide, 23 September 2011.</ref> The star of the show, Theresa Caputo, has been widely criticized as a con artist.<ref>[https://www.wired.com/2012/04/opinion-randilimedium0409/ The 'Medium' Is Not the Messenger]. Wired, 9 April 2012.</ref><ref>[https://www.insideedition.com/5331-the-long-island-medium-can-she-really-communicate-with-the-dead The Long Island Medium – Can She Really Communicate with the Dead?] Inside Edition, 7 November 2012.</ref><ref>Dodai Stewart, [https://jezebel.com/super-sad-and-misguided-emails-intended-for-the-long-is-5953012 Super Sad and Misguided Emails Intended for the Long Island Medium]. Jezebel, 20 October 2012.</ref>

==Stereotyping for fun and profit==
The channel often features [[stereotype]]s about particular groups of people that are obvious exaggerations. The channel's portrayal of [[The South|Southerner]]s, for example, has been criticized.<ref>Stephanie Gustafson, [https://archive.fo/NXUFp Honey Boo Boo’s Neighbors Unhappy With TLC’s Southern Stereotypes]. Archived from Reality TV Magazine, 13 September 2012.</ref><ref>[https://archive.fo/cyz34 Does 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo' exploit children and reinforce stereotypes?] Archived from examiner.com, 9 August 2012.</ref> Ironically, the show ''All American Muslim'' was made to combat [[Muslim]] stereotypes, but it was canceled due to negative press by people who think that Muslims and terrorists [[Association fallacy|are no different from each other]],<ref>Shane McGinley, [https://archive.fo/A9fsJ Muslim reality TV show targets stereotypes]. Archived from nusrah.com, 17 August 2011.</ref><ref>Nadra Kareem Nittle, [https://archive.fo/0MzR5 TLC Cancels “All American Muslim”]. Archived from about.com, 12 March 2012. </ref> such as [[Bill O'Reilly]] and {{wpl|Juan Williams||.}}

==Giving a platform to the worst people==
[[File:Josh Duggar 2021.jpg|thumb|right|175px|TLC's [[19 Kids and Counting|face of shame.]]]]TLC has a demonstrable track record of attracting scandal by giving a platform to some of the worst people imaginable. ''{{wpl|Toddlers & Tiaras||,}}'' a show about child beauty pageant families, was widely criticized for sexualizing young children. A scene from the show where a four year old girl swaggered onto the stage smoking a fake cigarette attracted wide condemnation.<ref>[https://archive.fo/fizY ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ scandal: 4-year-old Destiny smokes cigarette on stage]. Archived from SFGate, 31 August 2012.</ref> The patriarch of the TLC show ''{{wpl|The Willis Family}}'' was arrested on four counts of [[child sexual abuse|child rape]] in 2016. The awful ''{{wpl|Here Comes Honey Boo Boo}}'' was canceled after reports surfaced that a cast member was associating with a convicted child molester and registered sex offender. ''{{wpl|Cheer Perfection||,}}'' a show following a group of cheerleaders from [[Arkansas]], was canceled after a woman featured on the show was arrested on charges relating to [[rape]] of a 13-year-old boy. The long running ''[[19 Kids and Counting]]'' and its spinoffs were finally removed after the family's golden boy Josh Duggar was convicted for downloading material depicting the sexual abuse of children to a laptop at his car dealership,<ref>Meredith Blake, [https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-12-19/josh-duggar-trial-19-kids-and-counting-tlc News Analysis: The Duggars built a wholesome reality TV empire on TLC. Now it’s in ruins]. The Los Angeles Times, 19 December 2021.</ref><ref>Rich Juzwiak, [https://jezebel.com/reality-televisions-year-of-reckoning-1847035749 Reality Television's Year of Reckoning]. Jezebel, 29 December 2021.</ref> including but not limited to the now-infamous {{wpl|hurtcore}} video ''Daisy's Destruction'' by convicted serial rapist {{wpl|Peter Scully||.}}<ref>Klasfeld, Adam (22 June 2021). [https://lawandcrime.com/objections-podcast/feds-say-they-found-a-toddler-rape-video-on-josh-duggars-computer-heres-the-horrendous-story-of-the-worlds-worst-pedophile-who-made-it/ "Feds Say They Found a Toddler Rape Video on Josh Duggar's Computer. Here's the 'Horrendous' Story of the 'World's Worst Pedophile' Who Made It]"'. ''Law & Crime''.</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.tlc.com/ Official website]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:Media hysteria]]
[[Category:Paedophilia]]
[[Category:Stereotypes]]

Categories: Television, Media hysteria, Paedophilia, Stereotypes