Dove Foundation

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.

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". [http://dove.org Dove Family Approved Videos, DVDs and Movies ] ] It screens movies for suitability for family viewing, and endorses acceptable ones with the Dove "Family-Approved" Seal.

Dove's web site states that review standards and criteria are based on Judeo-Christian values, and that Dove's non-profit status eliminates commercial pressure as a factor in its reviews. However, the Dove Foundation's association with Feature Films for Families [cite paper
author =
title = Missouri No Call suit nets $70,000 settlement
version =
publisher = St. Louis Business Journal
date = August 22, 2006
url = http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2006/08/21/daily18.html
format =
accessdate = 2006-09-05 ] raises doubts about their freedom from influence by profit motives.

Call Center Operations

The organization has conducted a
survey by telephone. As of July 31, 2007 the US telephone survey had concluded, but an internet survey is still ongoing [cite web
author=The Dove Foundation
title=Take our national opinion poll
accessdate=2005-09-25
url = http://www.dove.org/opinionpoll_takeit.asp] , and, as of January 2008, the telephone survey is active in the UK. The phone survey has generated controversyfor several reasons: Firstly, the methodology and results of itssurvey findings [http://dove.org/opinionpoll.asp?ArticleID=36 The Dove Foundation - Opinion Poll Statistics ] ] 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. [cite web
last = Serata
first = Tammy
title = The Dove Foundation Meets Quantum Theory
publisher = Blogcritics.org
date = November 05, 2005
url = http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/05/202559.php
accessdate = ] 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 telephonesurvey as a ruse to sidestep the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act and help a partner sell products.

The call system uses a 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, 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; 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. [cite press release
title = Company selling films used non-profit organization as front to try to circumvent state No Call law, Nixon says
publisher = Missouri Attorney General, Jay Nixon
date = March 27, 2006
url = http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2006/032706.htm
accessdate = 2006-09-05]

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. [cite paper
author =
title = Missouri No Call suit nets $70,000 settlement
version =
publisher = St. Louis Business Journal
date = August 22, 2006
url = http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2006/08/21/daily18.html
format =
accessdate = 2006-09-05 ] ["For the organization's response to criticism of the call center operation, see The Dove Foundation's FAQ page [http://dove.org/opinionpoll.asp] "]

The Dove Foundation's call center has been listed by whocalled.us as their most-reported telephone number [cite web
author=whocalled.us
title=Calls From [phone]
accessdate=2007-08-06
url = http://whocalled.us/]

By January 2008 the Dove Foundation's survey had arrived in the UK.

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.)

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

References

External links

* [http://dove.org Dove Foundation Web Site]
* [http://dove.org/opinionpoll.asp National opinion poll]
* [http://www.familytv.com/ Feature Films for Families Web Site]