The family must replace the mass media, particularly television, in imparting important social values, says a Canadian pro-life journalist.
Peter Stockland, the former editor of The Calgary Sun, made the comments May 29 during the Second Pan-American Conference on Family and Education. Stockland led a workshop on the social agenda and family values.
“We can’t leave it to television to deliver the message,” Stockland said. “We have to begin telling our stories to our children and our neighbors.”
Stockland said despite claims of objectivity and impartiality, the mass media sets an agenda often at odds with family expectations. He urged families to regain control over from the mass media by limiting exposure to television and by questioning its content.
Stockland also said television’s rapidly changing priorities encourage a lack of faith in permanence and traditional values. In the communication media’s view of the world, Stockland said, truth is replaced by relativity and popular opinion. He also cited television’s “totalitarian infidelity,” by which values change almost instantaneously to the latest trend.
“All who desire to build a civilization of love must confront the mass media,” Stockland said. “It has the ability to distort our true understanding of the world.”
He called on parents to confront the media head-on in the family home.
