TV Land yanks ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ repeats over Confederate flag imagery

There have been a variety of stories that have dominated the news cycle over the past several days, but one of the most noteworthy ones has been the reaction to the terrible shooting in South Carolina, and the outcry that has led to the demands that the state and many other places remove imagery of the Confederate battle flag. Many major retailers have stopped carrying products with the flag featured on them, and today the latest move was confirmed by TV Land: They are no longer going to air repeats of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” a show that featured many symbols of the Confederacy including the General Lee, the car that features that Stars and Bars atop its roof.

Even before the tragic shooting took place there was long controversy when it comes to this series; as a matter of fact, it became a plot point on occasion in the feature film version that came out in 2005. The fact that there was at least an awareness of the issue a decade ago speaks to this as a point of contention that is not just coming out this summer.

This decision comes at a time when TV Land as a network is working to slightly push a new brand; they just introduced a new logo (see the attached photo), and they are also working to ensure that much of their programming is in line with what adults aged 25-54 would want to watch. Therefore, we would have envisioned them moving on from “The Dukes of Hazzard” in time organically in the first place, mostly because it is not the show that many of their viewers may have grown up with now. This may have just accelerated the process somewhat.

Also, TV Land is a network that is meant mostly for nostalgia. We don’t think that they want anything to do with controversy of any form, and understandably so given their model.

Do you think the network made the right move? Share with a comment, and head over here to have some other TV news sent over to you via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: TV Land.)