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TheWB (http://www.thewb.com)

common sense media says

The WB lives again; some shows have iffy content.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this site is a resurrected version of the old WB TV network, which has been off the air since 2006. You can watch full-length episodes of WB favorites here, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The O.C., and Friends re-runs, and depending on the show, can have some sex, violence, drug use, drinking, and bad behavior. Besides the old shows and some new series made just for this site, the big attraction is that users can play with the shows' scenes in the WBlender, editing them and sending them to friends, or watching them from afar via Facebook.

Educational value: Not applicable.
Positive messages: Some shows involve cheating, disrepecting parents, and other bad social behavior. There are currently no forums on the site, but the terms say if there are in the future they will not be monitored. At present, users can send feedback to the site only and send video clips to other people via Facebook or email.
Violence: Depends on the TV show viewed on the site. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The O.C. show violence.
Sex: Depends on the TV show viewed on the site. Some WB shows such as Friends, Dawson's Creek, and The O.C. discuss sex or are sexually suggestive.
Language: Nothing "R" rated, but anything you can hear on primetime network TV might be heard here.
Consumerism: This site is free but supported with ads targeting the 16-34 year olds. Upcoming plans include an online WB store. Also, there's a major push to tie TheWB.com into Facebook, so Facebook's name is all over the place.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Varies, depending upon the series viewed. A character in the The O.C. is an alcoholic; other shows have drinking, drugs, and smoking.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

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What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how much screen time is allowed in your home. Whether your teen is watching re-runs on a TV or on a computer screen, it's still passive entertainment. How much is too much? Does mixing and matching favorite scenes from episodes of The O.C. and sending them to friends on Facebook count as a creative use of time? Should it be considered educational? Why or why not?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Since it's still in the beta version, there are a few features that are currently limited or "coming soon," and some bugs to work out. In one section, it says the network is targeting the 16-34 demographic, but in another section it indicates users are supposed to be 18 and up. The coolest feature on this site is the ability for users to create video clips out of the series' content, like mashing all of Joey's "How you doin'?" quotes from Friends into one long series of scenes. Without a doubt, Warner Bros. has found a hip way to re-package old material and create new stuff for today's Internet-centric audience in TheWB.com. Whether that material is worth the time to watch it on a laptop or iPod will be up to the viewer.
This review was written by Dana Villamagna
 
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age
Our child development rating guidelines