Nostra Culpa

NBC. which contributes heavily--through Howdy Doody, Pinky Lee, et al. --to the high decibel nonsense that TV calls "children's programs." indulged last week in a novel, if mild, experiment in selfcriticism. It made public a report of its Children's Program Review Committee, which took a generally dim view of the network's kid shows.

The committee: Psychologist Robert M. Goldenson. Dr. Frances (Ding Dong School) Horwich and NBC Board Member Mildred McAfee Horton, ex-president of Wellesley College. Some of their chief complaints:

P: There is too much "suggested or demonstrated action that would be forbidden at home . . . Destroying public property, shooting Seltzer water and throwing things at each other."

P: "Overexcitement of a solid hour or more of disjointed, sometimes frenetic action."

P: "Crudeness. Participants in a few programs are encouraged to do things which we hope would never happen in normal society. Playing a trombone with a mouthful of watermelon is a sample of so-called humor that is more messy than funny."

P: "Exploitation ... of children on shows . . . Simulated or forced spontaneous endorsement of commercial products by children is bad."

P: "Overemphasis on money and exorbitant rewards for chance performance. The something-for-nothing idea on some of these shows seems to be thoroughly bad education."

P: "Misuse of commercials . . . Presenting toys as 'educational' when only the manufacturer calls them that is bad . . ."

After urging NBC to correct its faults, the committee, listed a dozen recommendations, including such pallid injunctions as correct grammar, how-to-do-it shows, hobby material, folk music and "adventure programs other than westerns and space serials--for example, exploration." NBC handed the report to its program producers, solicited their comment before checking what, if any, "constructive steps . . . can be taken."

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