I think that the new shows are kinda helping because they are showing witchcraft in a positive way, but some things the characters do real wiccans don't do. It help change people's idea about witchcraft. On the other hand, some movies do harmful things. Like in "The Craft", they portrayed witches casting curses and other negative things. It might make people have more negative view about wiccans. Like when I told my friends that I believe in wiccan and is beginning to practice the craft. They immediately thought that I cast curses and will do harm to them. They started to ignore me. I think that's because of how the media is portraying wiccans as evil beings.
Weili

for myself, i think its hurting us like it always has, but also helping somewhat. from what ive seen, shows still do stupid things such as associating pentagrams with satanic cults or getting the wrong ideas of witches (im thinking of Walker Ranger near Samhain when they had some cult who sacrificed goats draw a pentagram in blood on the ground, or even Early Edition when, on that same night, they had three "witches" who tried to capture the main character and who were, over all, morons. i may be slightly off with the recount--i have bad memory ;p) but for the most part, the view is improving. more and more witches are becoming a little more towards the "good" side, a little less satanists. i saw just a little clip of Charmed the other day and i cant say whether they are portraying it right, and i havent seen Practical Magic yet either, so im not sure exactly how the issue is at this moment--but im thinking its getting a little better at a time and eventually it will be as close to truth as the media ever gets. of course, until that actually happens, its quite annoying and frustrating to constantly be banned, ridiculed, and mocked for your beliefs. why hasnt any Pagan made a movie or tv show yet? i mean, other than possibly the Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog. if someone knows of a good Pagan movie or show, please please PLEASE let me know! it would be great to see full truth on tv for once.
Aislin Nymph

Because there is so much fear in the world about "things" we don't understand..wicca (witchcraft) will always be someones dumping ground but the more people know about the "craft" the better they will get to know themselves...

Added by: Diana(Moonstar)

11-3-2002

I think the media is somewhat helping us. With shows like Charmed and Buffy, we are no longer the green-faced hags that we were portraid as for centuries.

Added by: amethystmoon

11-6-2002

in my opinion i think it is hurting us. i mean they dont show everything that we really go through. this is my 2nd year and even though they dont show that hipocrital "ugly green face" its not who we are. we dont just cast spells or nething. we are like everyone else. i know when i started all my friends wanted to . i said do you believe in it though. they all said no we are just doing it cuz you are and what i seen on tv looks cool. that meant to me that hey i think they want to do something bad to someone. that totally turned me off. charm on the other hand is okay cuz it shows that not all wiccans are bad or ugly. that is the only benifit that i see on tv nemore.

Added by: melissa

11-8-2002

In my opinion, media are hurting us, as they always had. You know, most people go crazy when they listen to something that no one can truly explain...! I don't understand how do people trust in someone that orders a LOT of money to do what they call "true magik". If they were really good, they didn't need to get too well-paid and to advertise that much in journals. In my country, the population is a bit "later" with that stuff. For some, witches are really bad... like demons or something!! Every Halloween (Halloween, for God's sake!!) we get up and see the TV Notices with a lot of "black Magik". They talk about dead rabbits, about crossways, candles... They think every Pagan is a muderer. For eg., a kid (19, I suppose) murderer his parents on the day of the last Solar eclypse. Well, they got him really fast as a Pagan!! For Earth's Mother, if they say that stuff on TV, how can they help us?? It makes me feel bad.......

Merry meet & Blessed Be ---

Added by: Moon Fairy

11-8-2002

I think that the media is hurting us and they always will if they keep putting crap on like Sabrina the teenage witch on the air.

I just think that there alot of other stuff that the media can think bsides witch craft and things like that.

If the media keeps making these things up who knows what to believe anymore I mean like the kids I mean they are all going to grow up think that Witch Craft is like poison if the media doesnt stop.

Blessed Be

sonya

Added by: Sonya

11-10-2002

I think Sonya has it all wrong! It's because of media that I want to be a wiccan! I like sabrina the teenage witch! That's a sweet show and its not like she does anything bad!

Added by: Rachel

11-14-2002

I recently caught a part of a news program around Halloween time that actually showed Wicca and Pagan "religion" as a good thing. I missed most of the blurb but I did catch the part about it being accepted as a religion as much as any other religion very soon. Don't remember the exact words, but "accepted" I caught.

Added by: moondragon

11-18-2002