Don’t Beat Down The Fresh Beat Band

// 8.1.09 // Filed under: Parenting

I am really glad I don’t work in television programming.

A couple months ago I started seeing commercials on Noggin for a kids’ band called “The JumpArounds.”  The music was catchy, and the message seemed innocuous: music is awesome, so get up on your feet and be happy.

The commercials disappeared for awhile, but now The JumpArounds are back under a new name, The Fresh Beat Band, with a new show premiering in August. I was curious why they changed the show’s name, so I Googled it. What I found has me perplexed and a little incredulous.

This show is stirring up some mad craziness online.

On one message board, a parent commented:

“… the black kid acts more white than the white kid and the white kid must be some executives son or something because he can’t sing and his dancing is horrible, and the girls..omg the dark haired one is scary looking, looks fake…”

On a separate forum was this comment:

This show with it’s pre-teen jumping and dancing reinforces so many of the negative stereotypes and ideas that I work to keep my child away from. Cheesey, too thin, too pretty, too talented, hardly mulitcultural, no redeeming intellectual value unrealistic preening.

Hmm… so they are either talent-less and scary-looking or they are too talented and pretty.

Then there’s this comment:

I remember one line from the old JumpArounds commercials – something about “when you’ve got to get down when you just got up” – Noggin is a place where children should be learning about shapes, colors and numbers … not “getting down.”

Really? I could get up on my high horse about childhood obesity, but I won’t. I’ll just say that any preschool show that encourages music and movement is A-OK with me. I can’t fathom how a parent would have a problem with that. Perhaps it’s the term “getting down” that the parent quoted above has a problem with. I guess that’s too “suggestive?” {shrug}

I’m sure this type of criticism happens with ANY new show coming out. Seems like parents are a pretty hard bunch to please.

I’ve never been one to get all worked up about television programming. People are different. Everyone raises their kids differently. If you don’t like it, turn it off.

I recently met Angela Santomero, the creator of Blue’s Clues and Super WHY!. She was discussing with a group of parent bloggers how Super WHY! was developed and the outreach programs they are doing in conjunction with the show. I was so impressed with her. Her passion for children’s programming is so obvious when you see her speak.

Anyone who spends their time trying to create ways to help my child learn earns my initial respect. Give the Fresh Beat Band a break.

And I never did find out why they changed the name, although there is a rumor about a similar-named band asking for the change and another suggestion that “The JumpArounds” is just too exciting a name and would get kids too riled up. {eye roll}

The Fresh Beat Band will premiere on Nickelodeon Monday, Aug. 24th.

Related Posts:
Fresh Beat Band: Music, Action and Fun for Preschoolers
Stifling Creativity: Screen Time, Supervision or School?
Do I Really Want My Daughter on TV?