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May 2006 issue
Faces
Jeff Favre
Story by
Jeff Favre
He watches TV for you
Critic keeps eye out for families

Rob Owen has seen it all—at least he has if it’s been on television. Owen (right), a member of First Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, has been the TV critic for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for eight years. He’s now president of the Television Critics Association.

Rob Owen
As president he is in charge of organizing twice-a-year conferences—in January and July—where broadcast networks introduce new shows, along with providing access to the writers, stars and network executives. “It’s a chance for reporters working in the Heartland and in smaller cities across the country to get access to people they normally can’t get on the phone,” Owen said.

Owen’s goal as president is to keep an open ear and mind to suggestions from other critics, and to respond promptly and professionally to them, as well as those in the TV industry.

He also believes that as a critic and a Christian he has a responsibility to let parents know what material they might not want their children to watch. “I don’t have children, but I always try to keep families in mind,” he said. “At the same time I’m sorry to say that many parents don’t take the responsibility to find out what is suitable by taking advantage of the ratings, using the V-chip, or by reading newspapers and magazines to learn more about what is on television.”

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