toned-down version

The modified version of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is being constructed by CanWest Global Communications at considerable expense, says David Hamilton, Global's national promotions and public relations manager.

Hamilton won't put a figure on the cost of the modifications, but says it will take two full days of editing to reconstruct five shows.

Editing is underway on the first batch of the Canadianized Power Rangers episodes which will air on Global the week of Nov. 21.

The changes include cutting out the majority of the fight scenes and adding 30-second psas to each episode following themes such as how to be a caring member of the community, how to channel anger, and promoting racial harmony.

Global has offered the modified version of the series to ytv.

ytv expects to make a decision on whether to run the program within the next couple of weeks, says Terry Coles, senior vice-president of CUC Broadcasting and interim president of ytv.

The series is currently under review at ytv, says Coles. He says it wasn't originally seen as breaching ytv's voluntary code on violence, and had been scheduled responsibly in a time slot allowing for parents or older siblings to be at home.

The pressure to remove the Power Rangers from the airwaves may be setting a precedent in terms of decisions on programs being made outside of the broadcaster's turf, but this is not the issue at this point in time, says Coles.

"The issue is whether or not we've got programs that are good for kids. In this case, someone raised a flag and said this isn't a good thing for kids, and we responded responsibly."

Other industry representatives are concerned that the process which removed the popular show was unfair.

Cathy Loblaw, director of marketing for Concerned Children's Advertisers, says not everyone affected by the cancellation of the show was involved in the decision to take it off the air.

"What has to happen next time is that everybody concerned - the broadcasters, producers, advertisers and advocacy groups - takes a role and gets involved. We have a lot of questions about the process and the issues surrounding it."

Global is not offering the repackaged version of Power Rangers to Fox Television in the u.s. which broadcasts the series in some parts of Canada.

An uneven playing field has been created as some communities continue to see the show via the u.s. networks while others lose access to a program which is very popular in their community. Advertising revenue for Canadian broadcasters is threatened, says Keith Morrison, president and ceo of Western Broadcast Sales.

"The Fox stations actively pursue advertising revenue in any market where they come over the border. So it would be a question of one of the top-rated Canadian programs going off the air and allowing Fox to walk in unencumbered and take dollars."

A simulcast would solve the problem, says Morrison. But if two services are offering the program there's going to be a split of the audience numbers and Fox will still be a viable player, he adds.