Family Films Fare Well, Says Christian Media Monitor
by AFA Journal
March 30, 2006
(AgapePress) - - The public's picks for favorite films of 2005 differ greatly from those selected by awards shows and critics' associations, according to the findings of an authoritative study conducted by the Christian Film & Television Commission and presented as the Annual Report to the Entertainment Industry. Based on data compiled by Nielsen EDI, the majority of last year's box office hits proved to be family-friendly fare that contained traditional values and non-controversial themes. Of the ten most popular movies, 80 percent had "strong or very strong moral content and acceptability ratings." Of those top ten, only one was rated R, while only three of the top 25 had an R rating. In addition, 70 percent of these top ten films contained either "no sexual content" or "only light or implied sexual references."
According to a press release from MovieGuide, a publication of the Christian Film & Television Commission, box office numbers back up those statements.
"The Report to the Entertainment Industry shows that movies with no or very few incidences of nudity, foul language, and violence earned an average of $45,001,733 per movie, which was nearly $18 million more per movie, or 65 percent better than movies that contained those elements," says MovieGuide.
According to that report, movies with the Commission's low acceptability ratings earned only $27,307,984 on average.
"Every year, our financial analysis proves that good guys always finish first," says Dr. Ted Baehr, president of the Commission. "Movies with traditional Judeo-Christian values and heroic virtues always do best at the box office."
This article, reprinted with permission, appears in the April 2006 issue of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.
