Peacock is eliminating racially insensitive scenes from its WWE programming.
Rewritten Article:
In a move to cleanse its vast WWE content library, Peacock is presently weeding out racist content. This development was revealed after the streaming service became the exclusive home for WWE Network content back in January, offering a staggering 17,000 hours of new and original WWE Network programming, along with pay-per-view events like WrestleMania and SummerSlam.
A report from the Hollywood Reporter indicated that Peacock is currently scrutinizing WWE's content archives, intending to eliminate racial segments.
Some controversial segments being expunged include a 1990 appearance by Roddy Piper during WrestleMania VI, where he donned half his face in black paint and declared, "I can stand here, and I can be Black! I can be white! Don't make no difference to me. ... It's what's inside." The statement followed a reference to Bad News Brown being "proud to be from Harlem."
Additionally, a contentious 2005 segment featuring WWE boss Vince McMahon using the n-word has reportedly been excised. A spokesperson later described this segment as an "outlandish and satirical skit involving fictional characters, similar to that of many scripted television shows and movies."
Responding to questions, a Peacock representative neither confirmed nor denied the removal of specific elements or entire episodes deemed inappropriate. The representative, however, did confirm that the WWE content, like other content on the service, is being subjected to a rating system based on parental guidelines.
The WWE content resides on Peacock as a dedicated hub and can be accessed with a Peacock Premium membership of $5 monthly, or ad-free on the Premium Plus plan for $10 per month.
When announcing the WWE content partnership, Peacock Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, Rick Cordella, stated that WWE had "always tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with spectacular live events and larger-than-life characters, and we are thrilled to be the exclusive home for WWE Network and its millions of fans across the country."
Removing specific content elements or scrubbing entire episodes containing racist or problematic material is not a unique practice in the streaming world. For instance, Disney+ has removed titles that have lost relevance over time, such as Dumbo and Peter Pan, and has showed disclaimers on certain content, reading, "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions."
Another example of this illustrious tradition involves "Stark Raving Dad," a 1991 episode of The Simpsons that starred Michael Jackson's voice, which has disappeared from the service's catalog following the HBO's Leaving Neverland documentary. This episode had previously been removed from syndication and box sets.
Last year, HBO Max removed and then reinstated Gone With the Wind in the face of criticism for its racist depictions, with the company promising to "return with a discussion of its historical context and a denouncement of those very depictions, but will be presented as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed."
Netflix, for its part, pulled four Chris Lilley shows in Australia and New Zealand due to racial depictions, as well as the entirely debatable inclusion of blackface sketches in British comedy series Little Britain.
The fostering of a diverse and inclusive environment for all types of content is a common practice across other platforms, with systems like Azure OpenAI filtering content for hate speech or other racist elements to maintain policy compliance. These filtering practices are a testament to the increasing awareness and sensitivity towards diversity and the removal of content deemed offensive.
- The tech giant Peacock, known for its streaming services, is using technology to scrub racist content from its WWE content library, following its acquisition of WWE Network content.
- Recent sources have revealed that Peacock is examining Past WWE segments containing controversial elements, such as the infamous 1990 appearance by Roddy Piper in blackface at WrestleMania VI.
- In the future, the streaming service may also expunge a contentious 2005 segment featuring Vince McMahon using the n-word, currently under scrutiny.
- Similar to other platforms, Peacock is employing a rating system based on parental guidelines to maintain a diverse and inclusive environment, following the trend of removing inappropriate material from its content library.
