Dove Foundation

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The Dove Foundation is a registered United States non-profit organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, known for its activities of rating, reviewing and endorsing films, and for campaigning against the portrayal of sexual activity and violence in Hollywood films.

It is also notable for its telemarketing and violation of the Missouri Do-Not-Call Implementation Act.

Despite their similar logos, the Dove Foundation has no relation to Unilever, manufacturer of Dove brand soap.

1 Description
2 Call Center Operations
- 2.1 Selected results from the opinion poll
3 Quotes
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Description

The organization was founded in 1991 as a not-for-profit organization. According to the organisation's website, its stated mission is "to encourage and promote the creation, production, distribution and consumption of wholesome family entertainment".^[1] It screens movies for suitability for family viewing, and endorses acceptable ones with the Dove "Family-Approved" Seal.

[edit] Call Center Operations

The organization conducts a survey by telephone and internet,^[2] which has generated controvery for several reasons: Firstly, the methodology and results of its survey findings^[3] are accused of strong sampling bias, as call recipients are only invited to participate in the survey if their answers to initial screening questions suggest they generally agree with the Foundation's positions.^[4] These questions request "The lady of the house", and householders without children are not given the survey. Secondly, they have been found guilty of using the telephone survey as a ruse to sidestep the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act and help a partner sell products. Although many have criticised the Foundation for its automated calling program, the foundation itself maintains that it is designed to measure the attitudes of Americans with respect to violence and sexuality in media. The survey results themselves may not be statistically valid, but many respondents do indicate that they would like to see more wholesome movies, without explicit portrayals of sex, violence and profanity.

The call system uses a complex set of pre-recorded scripts, which are played in different sequences according to the responses received, as chosen by an operator listening to the calls. The ability to respond appropriately is limited by the finite number of scripts,^[1] and by the fact that a single operator is monitoring four calls simultaneously. In addition, the caller asks for permission for a follow-up call. Respondents will be solicited to buy films by for-profit partner 'Feature Films for Families'. Although the foundation does not directly sell films, DVDs or Videos, it is closely associated with the for-profit partner, which pays for the operation of the call center.

Over four and one half million have participated in the survey;^[3] many more have been called, and there have been complaints on blogs and bulletin boards. The Missouri Attorney General's office received some 300 complaints. Many of those telephoned by Dove are annoyed by the way the call is conducted: there are complaints that calls are received at any hour of the day, and regardless whether the family is on the United States National Do Not Call Registry. Also cited are the bluntness of the telemarketers, and their aggressive interviewing techniques.

The Attorney General of Missouri has ascertained that their mode of operation is a means to bypass the FCC do-not-call list restriction, and imposed a restraining order on these activities in Missouri in March 2006.^[5]

In the court action brought by the Missouri state, Feature Films For Families Inc. of Murray, Utah, and the Dove Foundation were fined the sum of US$70,000 in August 2006 for violation of state "No Call" laws.^[6]^[7]

[edit] Selected results from the opinion poll

Because of flaws in the survey's design, these results are not statistically valid. Respondents listed here only include those who passed the initial screening.

94% of believe that offensive material in TV, Movies & the Internet is on the rise.
93% want to see more wholesome family entertainment made.
If more was made, 84% said they would make an effort to watch & support it.
77% stated that 75% of today's entertainment does not meet their expectations or reinforce the values important to them.
70% said that the amount of sex, violence and profanity in films bothers them.
76% think that movie ratings have gotten too lenient, and they don’t trust them. (This varies significantly from a survey by the MPAA which shows that 76% of the people they polled find the ratings somewhat to very helpful.)

[edit] Quotes

"It's time for positive family values to impact those in Hollywood instead of Hollywood impacting family values." - Dick Rolfe Co-founder, The Dove Foundation