A June 3, 2005 press release from the Parents Television Council, a media-criticism organization founded by conservative Brent Bozell:

…The Seal of Approval was given to Wal-Mart at its annual shareholders’ meeting being held today in Fayetteville, Ark.

The following excerpts are taken from a statement by Melissa Caldwell, director of research and publications for the Parents Television Council, which was delivered at the annual Wal-Mart Shareholders’ meeting today:

“I am representing the Parents Television Council, a non-profit, non-partisan group dedicated to protecting children from graphic sex, violence and profanity in entertainment. The reason I’m here today is to publicly applaud Wal-Mart for its outstanding commitment to public service as manifested by its network television advertising practices.

“Thousands of clinical studies have shown what we all instinctively know to be true: Children are influenced by the messages they see and hear through the media. And television is the most powerful medium in the world. It can be a wonderful way to educate, inspire and entertain America’s youth. But too often it undermines the positive values that we, as parents, attempt to instill in our children at the very earliest age.

“That’s why it is so important for me, on behalf of the PTC’s nearly one million members across this nation, to award Wal-Mart the Parents Television Council’s Seal of Approval, an award given to a select few corporations that consistently advertise on programs that are free from violent or negative content and that are safe for the entire family to view…

“Many corporations ignore the social consequences of sponsoring programs filled with gratuitous sex, violence and foul language. This, however, is not the case with Wal-Mart. “The actions of this corporation directly and positively reflect corporate values rooted in honor, integrity. and leadership

Any chance that giving a wealthy corporation a “Seal of Approval” will result in donations from that corporation? Just wondering…

Anyway, there are dissenting views of Wal-Mart. For example, this from Wal-Mart Watch:

California spends an estimated $89 million annually providing public assistance to Wal-Mart’s employees.

In Georgia, over 10,000 children of Wal-Mart employees are on state-funded healthcare.

Wal-Mart spends $1,300 less per employees on healthcare than average retailers and $2,100 less than average U.S. companies .

Robert Greenwald is directing a documentary critical of Wal-Mart.