You might not have noticed vampires, Satanism and zombies on any elementary or junior high school curriculum, but your kids are probably so well versed they could pass a final exam in flying colors. The reason is simple – young adult fantasy has a basic menu replete with occult, witchcraft, Satanism, paganism, vampires, zombies, Greek mythology and similar fair. It might not be required reading or viewing, but it’s being marketed and targeted to teens who compulsively consume it with their insatiable appetite for fantasy.
As a concerned parent and as a TV executive that works with content on a daily basis, I found this situation extremely disconcerting. Why should our kids be fantasizing about werewolves, gruesome zombies or Greek pagan gods (i.e. the highly popular ‘Percy Jackson’ series) especially when they can find truly awesome content with life altering wisdom that’s even MORE entertaining in the Hebrew Bible? While that might sound like the wishful thinking of a predisposed parent, I do not use the word ‘entertainment’ lightly. I’ve launched 10 television channels into as many as 120 countries and value entertainment through the professional lens of Nielson’s ratings and Box Office ticket sales. Interestingly enough, successful entertainment is almost always based on the industry adage that ‘Content is King’. READ MORE
