The
Parents Television Council (PTC) is an American interest group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995. Through publications on its website including reviews, research reports, and online newsletters, the Council seeks to inform parents of television programs or other entertainment products that it considers beneficial or harmful to the development of children . Campaigns run by the Council include allowing subscribers to select and pay for only the
cable channelsCable television in the United States is a common form of television delivery, generally by subscription. Cable television first became available in the United States in 1948, with subscription services in 1949...
that they prefer to watch, holding advertisers accountable for the television programs that they sponsor, and trying to keep children from watching television content they deem to be harmful and negative.
Over the years, the PTC has launched several campaigns in response to perceived indecency on television programs. Such campaigns have also involved filing complaints with the FCC, and the organization has generated the majority of FCC complaints over perceived indecent television content. Programs for which it has filed complaints and later deemed indecent by the FCC include
NYPD BlueNYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan....
, the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, and
Without a TraceWithout a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series is set in New York City and is about a fictitious full-time FBI missing persons unit.-Premise:...
. Beyond television programs themselves, PTC's activism has spread to urging advertisers to withdraw sponsorship from programs that the group deems offensive, criticizing companies for offensive advertising, and advising on other branches of entertainment media.
In response to its activism, positions, and campaigns, the PTC has faced much support and criticism. Since the PTC was found in 2004 to have filed the majority of complaints with the FCC, some have questioned the PTC's method of filing electronic complaint forms. Additionally, critics have objected to PTC's advocacy of greater government involvement in indecency regulation.
Foundation
In 1989, the
Media Research CenterThe Media Research Center is a conservative content analysis organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1987 by L. Brent Bozell III...
(MRC) began monitoring the entertainment industry for alleged liberal bias through its Entertainment Division and newsletter
TV, etc. MRC founder and president L. Brent Bozell III later felt that decency was declining on most prime-time television programming. The PTC began operations in 1995 following private planning meetings with
Charlton HestonCharlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television.Heston is known for having played heroic roles, such as Moses in The Ten Commandments, Colonel George Taylor in Planet of the Apes, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar in El Cid, and Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy...
,
Michael MedvedMichael Medved is a American radio program host and is a conservative political commentator, film critic, and author. His Seattle-based nationally-syndicated talk show, The Michael Medved Show, airs throughout the United States on Salem Radio Network.According to Talkers' Magazine, The Michael...
, and other entertainment industry leaders, who would eventually make up the Advisory Board of the PTC. After the release of its first annual
Family Guide to Prime-Time Television following the
1995-1996 television seasonThis was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the Fall season beginning in September 1995. All times are Eastern and Pacific.New series highlighted in bold....
, the PTC hoped to hold the entertainment industry accountable for the indecency that it perceived to be prominent on prime-time television. By 1996, the organization had the support of several members of the U.S. Congress, including
Joe LiebermanJoseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut. First elected to the Senate in 1988, Lieberman was elected to a fourth term on November 7, 2006...
and
Lamar S. SmithLamar Seeligson Smith is an attorney from the state of Texas, currently representing the state's 21st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican.- Biography :...
, and an estimated annual budget of $142,000.
By 1998, with an estimated membership of 120,000, comedian and former
Tonight Show host
Steve AllenSteve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen, American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3*Steve Allen, British musician, lead singer of Liverpool rock band Deaf School...
joined PTC as its Honorary Chairman, and PTC released a report questioning the accuracy of the
TV Parental GuidelinesThe TV Parental Guidelines system was first proposed on December 19, 1996 by the United States Congress, the television industry and the FCC, and went into effect by January 1, 1997 on most major broadcast and cable networks in response to public concerns of increasingly explicit sexual content,...
ratings system and campaigning for advertisers to stop sponsoring programs that the PTC claimed were offensive. Allen launched a newspaper advertisement campaign promoting the PTC, which was published in many outlets including
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
. The PTC was noted for criticizing such shows as
Ally McBealAlly McBeal is an American television series which ran on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
,
Dawson's CreekDawson's Creek is an American primetime television drama which initially aired from January 20, 1998, to May 14, 2003, on The WB Television Network. The lead production company was Sony Pictures Television. The show was set in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts and in Boston,...
,
EllenEllen is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.The theme song, "So-Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas...
,
FriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994. The series revolved around a group of friends in the area of Manhattan, New York City, who occasionally live together and share living expenses. The series was produced by...
, and
Spin CitySpin City is an American sitcom television series that ran from 1996 to 2002 on ABC. Created by Gary David Goldberg and Bill Lawrence, the show was based on a fictional local government running New York City, and originally starred Michael J. Fox as Mike Flaherty, the Deputy Mayor of New York...
. Its website was also introduced that year, and its annual budget had already surpassed $1 million. PTC rolled out another round of full-page newspaper advertisements in 1999;
San Francisco Examiner television columnist Tim Goodman perceived Allen and the PTC of advocating complete censorship of television to allow only what PTC considered "Family-Safe TV".
PTC was founded in 1995 by longtime political activist L. Brent Bozell III. Bozell is a prominent conservative activist who has, among other things, served as Executive Director of the Conservative Victory Committee, a
political action committeeIn the United States , a Political Action Committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a matter of state and federal law...
that has supported the election of dozens of conservative candidates over the past ten years. He was also National Finance Chairman for
Pat BuchananPatrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American conservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior advisor to American presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought the...
's 1992 presidential campaign, and later president of the National Conservative Political Action Committee. Bozell was succeeded as PTC President by Timothy F. Winter, a self-described liberal and registered
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...
, in January 2007. Winter served as Executive Director of the PTC for three years prior to becoming president. Prior to joining the PTC, Mr. Winter's 20-year career as a media executive included positions with
Metro-Goldwyn-MayerMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., or MGM, is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B...
and
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
. Dan Isett, Director of Corporate and Government Affairs of the PTC, represents the PTC on the Consumer Advisory Committee of the
Federal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, directed, and empowered by Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President...
.
The PTC also has an Advisory Board consisting of
politicianA politician or political leader is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d'état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest,...
s and entertainers working to assist the council in their goal of protecting children against profanity and violence in the media. Notable members of the advisory board include singer
Pat BooneCharles Eugene Boone , known professionally as Pat Boone, is an American singer, actor and writer who was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He sold over 45 million albums, had 38 Top 40 hits and starred in more than 12 Hollywood movies...
, former football player
Mel RenfroMelvin Lacy "Mel" Renfro is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League who spent his entire fourteen-year career with the Dallas Cowboys.-High School:...
, actor Coleman Luck,
countryCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
musician
Billy Ray CyrusBilly Ray Cyrus is a Grammy Award-nominated American country music singer, songwriter and actor, best known for his #1 single "Achy Breaky Heart." Cyrus, a multi-platinum selling recording artist, has scored a total of eight top-ten singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart...
,
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
U.S. SenatorThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
of
KansasKansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was...
and former
presidentialThe 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign, and during the general election campaign, both major party...
candidate
Sam BrownbackSamuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the senior United States Senator from the U.S. state of Kansas. During 2007, he was a candidate in the Republican primaries for the 2008 Presidential election...
, film critic Michael Medved, star of 1980s TV series
DallasDallas is an American prime-time television soap opera that originally ran from 1978 to 1991. It revolved around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries...
Susan HowardJeri Lynn Mooney , better known as Susan Howard, is an American actress, writer, and political activist; best known for portraying the character Donna Culver Krebbs on the soap opera Dallas, Maggie Petrocelli on the television show Petrocelli, and to Star Trek fans for portraying Mara, the first...
, and ION Television producer Gary Johnson. In addition, the PTC has established numerous local chapters for most American media markets. Notable former Advisory Board members include - both of whom are now deceased - comedian
Steve AllenSteve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen, American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3*Steve Allen, British musician, lead singer of Liverpool rock band Deaf School...
, original host of NBC's
The Tonight ShowThe Tonight Show is an American late-night talk and variety show airing on NBC since 1954. Tonight is the third longest-running entertainment program in U.S...
, and
C. Delores TuckerC. DeLores Tucker was a U.S. politician and civil rights activist best known for her participation in the Civil Rights Movement and stance against gangsta rap music.-Early life:...
, participant in the
Civil Rights MovementThe Civil Rights Movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. It was accompanied by much civil unrest and popular rebellion. The process was long and tenuous in many countries, and most of these movements did not achieve or...
and activist against
gangsta rapGangsta rap is a subgenre of hip hop that reflects the violent lifestyles of some inner-city youths. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word gangster. The genre was pioneered in the mid 1980s by rappers such as Schooly D and Ice T, and was popularized in the later part of the 1980s by...
music; Allen is now given the title of National Honorary Chairman-Emiritus.
Bahçeşehir UniversityBahçeşehir University is a private educational institution in Turkey, located at the European side of Istanbul. The Turkish National Assembly authorized the establishment of the University of Bahçeşehir by the Bahçeşehir Uğur Education Foundation in 1998. An academic and strategic protocol was...
associate professor Christian Christiansen questioned the backgrounds of certain PTC advisory board members as not consistent with their stance on morality.
Columns & reports
The website of the PTC features reports on what they find to be harmful content on television and regular writings from its staff. Their research is done with the support of their Entertainment Tracking System, an archive of prime-time television programming that they claim is the largest in the world. Such publications include:
- "Culture Watch" - Throughout 2005 and 2006, the PTC published columns under this series authored by Christopher Gildemeister, covering the influence on American culture by entertainment as well as exposing the increase in sex, violence, and profanity in cable television and the methods used by advertisers and broadcasting companies to attract young audiences. In a December 2005 column of his, Advertising Age
Advertising Age is a magazine, delivering news, analysis and data on marketing and media. The magazine was started as a broadsheet newspaper in Chicago in 1930...
columnist Simon Dumenco claimed that the PTC is "very very afraid of gay TV characters". Culture Watch columnist Christopher Gildemeister defended the PTC as being "not homophobic" but simply opposed to "sexual references or innuendo (of any variety, hetero, homo or other) aired where children might be exposed to them."
- "Parenting and the Media" authored by Rod Gustafson, where he offers advice on parenting children who frequent the media.
- "TV Trends" - Another column by Christopher Gildemeister, published since October 2007 intending to inform parents and TV viewers in general about what he perceives to be "harmful or questionable prime-time programming.". Hartford Courant television critic Roger Catlin quoted Gildemeister as criticizing ABC for having an "apparent fetish for transsexuals" in certain programs.
- Former president Bozell's weekly entertainment column, which it links to within the home page
In 2000, PTC's report
What a Difference a Decade Makes observed an increase in profanity, sex, and violence on television during the 1990s. The report also claimed that references to homosexuality increased the most during that decade, by 24-fold. In a 2006 report titled
Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, analyst Kristen Fyfe perceived an increase in violent, profane, and sexual content in children's programming. Among its results, based on research during summer 2005,
Teen Titans was the most violent program, and
Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network is a cable television network created by Turner Broadcasting which primarily shows animated programming. The original American channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 with the Bugs Bunny short Rhapsody Rabbit being its first-ever aired program...
had the most violent incidents. Richard Huff of the
New York Daily NewsThe Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 632,595, as of June 13, 2009. The first U.S. daily printed in tabloid form, it was founded in 1919, and as of 2007 is owned and run by Mortimer Zuckerman...
criticized the report for misinterpreting an episode of
SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series and media franchise. It is currently Nickelodeon's highest rated show, the most distributed property of MTV Networks, and among Nicktoons Network's most-watched shows...
, "
Sailor Mouth"Sailor Mouth" is the thirty-sixth episode of the second season of SpongeBob SquarePants, originally aired on Nickelodeon on September 21, 2002. SpongeBob and Patrick discover graffiti scribbled on the dumpster of the Krusty Krab. Patrick explains that this “word" is a “sentence enhancer” used by...
", over its intent to satirize profanity implicitly.
Following the 2005–06 television season, PTC issued a report
Faith in a Box that analyzed depictions of religion in primetime television. The study found that most positive references to religion were on reality shows like
Extreme Makeover: Home EditionExtreme Makeover: Home Edition , is a reality television series providing home renovations for deserving families, hosted by Ty Pennington....
, while scripted shows tended to be more negative towards it. The report also ranked Fox as the "most anti-religious network", followed by NBC, UPN, ABC, CBS, and the WB. In 2008, PTC published a report titled
Happily Never After, using analysis of several primetime shows early in the 2007-2008 television season to assert that extramarital sex is favored on television shows. Ian O'Doherty of the
The IrishIndependent asked regarding the PTC's marriage depiction study: "After all, would you rather watch people having fun or would you rather watch a realistic depiction of marriage, which...would simply be an hour of two people sullenly chewing their food, pausing occasionally only to throw each other filthies and occasionally grumbling under their breath how the biggest regret of their life was ever setting eyes on you and that their mother was right all along?"
Entertainment reviews and analysis
The PTC's activities extend to evaluation, rating, and educating around broadcast TV programs according to a traffic light system across three categories of sex, violence and profanity, accumulating to an overall rating based on the ratings of these three categories. The guide has been in use since the
1995-1996 seasonThis was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the Fall season beginning in September 1995. All times are Eastern and Pacific.New series highlighted in bold....
using the traffic light system. In the PTC's definition of its traffic light system, green light indicates that the program is "appropriate for all ages", a yellow light indicates that the program is "appropriate for junior high schoolers and older", and a red light indicates that the program is "appropriate for adult audiences only"
Every television season since 1995–1996, the council has released a list of the best and worst prime-time television programs for family viewing. The PTC's website includes the guide from the 1996-97 season at the earliest. Starting with the 2005–2006 season, their list was based on their traffic light system as well as
Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
ratings of viewership among children ages 2–17 of certain shows. Popular shows that have frequently been praised as the most family-friendly programs on television include
George LopezGeorge Lopez is an American sitcom starring the comedian George Lopez. The show originally aired on ABC from March 27, 2002 to May 23, 2007...
,
7th Heaven7th Heaven is an American drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on Monday August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from 1996-2007...
,
Touched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American Fantasy drama television series that chronicles the missions of a group of angels sent by God. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson , it ran on CBS for nine seasons, from September 21, 1994 to April 27, 2003, and aired in many countries all...
,
Sabrina the Teenage Witch,
Boy Meets WorldBoy Meets World was an American television sitcom that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, who grows up from a young boy to a married man...
,
Extreme Makeover: Home EditionExtreme Makeover: Home Edition , is a reality television series providing home renovations for deserving families, hosted by Ty Pennington....
,
American IdolAmerican Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002 on the Fox network, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television...
,
Dancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars is the name of a group of international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide - the commercial arm of the BBC...
,
NBC Sunday Night FootballNBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth providing color...
, and
Deal or No DealDeal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
. Popular shows frequently named "Worst of the Season" include
American Dad,
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
,
Dawson's CreekDawson's Creek is an American primetime television drama which initially aired from January 20, 1998, to May 14, 2003, on The WB Television Network. The lead production company was Sony Pictures Television. The show was set in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts and in Boston,...
,
The Drew Carey ShowThe Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004 and was known for its "everyman" characters and themes...
,
Family GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television sitcom, created by Seth MacFarlane, for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family which consists of Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie, and their pet dog Brian...
,
Friends,
The O.C.The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
,
Spin CitySpin City is an American sitcom television series that ran from 1996 to 2002 on ABC. Created by Gary David Goldberg and Bill Lawrence, the show was based on a fictional local government running New York City, and originally starred Michael J. Fox as Mike Flaherty, the Deputy Mayor of New York...
,
That '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television sitcom that centered on the lives of a group of teenagers living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 1976 to 12:00 AM, January 1, 1980. It debuted on the FOX television network on August 23, 1998 and ran for eight consecutive...
and
Will and Grace.
On a weekly basis, the PTC publishes reviews of what they consider to be the best and worst television programming for family viewing, authored by the various entertainment analysts at the council.
Seth MacFarlaneSeth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, composer, writer, producer, actor, singer, comedian, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the characters...
, creator of
Family Guy, compared the PTC's frequent negative reviews of the series to "hate mail from Hitler". "So You Think You Can Rate a TV Show?", the title being a play on the title of
FoxThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
television series
So You Think You Can Dance, is a weekly column the PTC began in July 2007 to claim that networks inaccurately rate their shows based on the TV Parental Guidelines, whether the network applied the improper age-based rating (such as TV-PG or TV-14) or failed to include the proper content descriptors (such as "L" for
languageThe original meaning of the adjective profane referred to items not belonging to the church, e.g...
or "V" for
violenceViolence is the expression of physical or verbal force against self or other, compelling action against one's will on pain of being hurt. Variant uses of the term refer to the destruction of non-living objects . Worldwide, violence is used as a tool of manipulation and also is an area of concern...
).
Seal of Approval
To recognize excellence in the media, the Parents Television Council awards its Seal of Approval to television shows, movies, home products, and advertisers that provide or sponsor content it deems to be "family-friendly". It is divided into two categories: Entertainment and Advertiser. Popular television shows that have been awarded include
7th Heaven7th Heaven is an American drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on Monday August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from 1996-2007...
,
American IdolAmerican Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002 on the Fox network, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television...
,
The Bernie Mac ShowThe Bernie Mac Show is an American sitcom featuring comic actor Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda raising his sister's three kids: Jordan, Bryana and Vanessa. Towards the end of the series, Bryana's long-lost father returns and drops by from time to time to help Bernie and Wanda with the kids...
,
Everybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996 to May 16, 2005.Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
,
George LopezGeorge Lopez is an American sitcom starring the comedian George Lopez. The show originally aired on ABC from March 27, 2002 to May 23, 2007...
,
JAGJAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
,
RebaReba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire. It premiered on The WB in 2001, where it ran for five seasons before The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network , and it ran on The CW for its final season. When it premiered on The CW, the show became the top rated sitcom on the...
,
SmallvilleSmallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB, premiering on October 16, 2001...
,
Touched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American Fantasy drama television series that chronicles the missions of a group of angels sent by God. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson , it ran on CBS for nine seasons, from September 21, 1994 to April 27, 2003, and aired in many countries all...
,
The West Wing, and
Wonderful World of Disney. Also receiving the Entertainment Seal of Approval are products like
TiVoTiVo is a pioneer of the digital video recorder . TiVo was introduced in the United States, and is now available in Canada, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan, and the UK...
's KidZone television filtering service, the
Sky AngelSky Angel U.S. LLC. describes itself as a "Christian-owned and operated multi-channel television service specializing in Christian and family-friendly TV and radio programming."...
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
television service, and
CleanFlicksCleanFlicks is a Utah-based business which produced clean versions of films to remove content that they considered inappropriate for children or that viewers might otherwise find offensive. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were its predominant market...
.
WWE
In 1999, the PTC launched a campaign against the World Wrestling Federation, now
World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE), complaining that their SmackDown! program contained levels of sexuality and violence unbecoming prime time programming. In the campaign, Brent Bozell said that four children had been killed by peers emulating wrestling moves learned from the program. With these allegations, Bozell and various PTC members began meeting with representatives of the advertising departments of various companies that advertised on
SmackDown! to persuade them to withdraw sponsorship. The PTC also suggested that between 30 and 40 of WWE's advertisers had pulled their commercials from WWF programming.
On November 9, 2000, WWE filed a lawsuit against the PTC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming that the PTC's statements were false and constituted defamation. WWE also filed a
copyright infringementCopyright infringement is the unauthorized use of material that is covered by copyright law, in a manner that violates one of the copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.For electronic and audio-visual media,...
lawsuit against the PTC for using clips from WWE programs in their promotional videos. The PTC filed for dismissal of the suit, but on May 24, 2001,
U.S. district courtThe 94 United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
Judge
Denny ChinDenny Chin is a judge on the United States district court for the Southern District of New York. Chin was nominated by President Clinton on March 24, 1994, and confirmed August 9 of that same year...
denied the PTC's motion on the basis that WWF's lawsuit had merit. PTC and WWE settled out of court and, as part of the settlement agreement, the PTC paid WWE $3.5 million USD and Bozell issued a public apology. The apology stated that it was wrong to blame WWE or any of its programs for the deaths of children and that the original statements had been based on what was later found to be false information designed by people close to the
Lionel TateLionel Alexander Tate is the youngest American citizen ever sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole...
case to blame the death of Tiffany Eunick on WWE.
FCC campaigns
In 2003, the PTC unsuccessfully campaigned for the FCC to take action against the NBC television network in response to the use of the epithet "fuck" by
BonoPaul David Hewson, KBE , most commonly known by his stage name Bono, is an Irish singer and musician, best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his future wife,...
, lead singer for the rock band
U2U2 are a rock band that formed in Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr...
, during the network's January 2003 telecast of the Golden Globe Awards. Among an audience of nearly 20 million, the FCC received only 234 complaints, 217 of which came from the PTC. In October 2003, the FCC decided not to fine NBC because Bono's obscenity was ruled as fleeting and not describing sexual or excretory functions, the FCC's standard for fining a network for indecency. After the PTC filed an Application for Review to the FCC, in March 2004 the FCC decided that the epithet was indecent by law but still decided not to fine NBC; however, the ruling was to serve as a warning to networks that there would be a "zero tolerance" policy towards obscene language willfully used during the daytime. However, the PTC's complaints about profanity used by presenter
Nicole RichieNicole Camille Richie is an American actress, author, socialite, celebutante, singer, and television personality. The adopted daughter of soul singer Lionel Richie, she is perhaps best known for her role in the Fox reality television series The Simple Life, alongside fellow socialite and former...
in December 10, 2003 broadcast of the
Billboard Music Awards led the FCC to conclude that the language violated decency law.
PTC began attracting more attention after its complaints to the
Federal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, directed, and empowered by Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President...
(FCC) about the
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversySuper Bowl XXXVIII, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004 from Houston, Texas on the CBS television network in the United States, was noted for a controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a...
, in which one of performer
Janet JacksonJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, California, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians...
's nipple shielded breasts, was exposed for 9/16ths of a second. FCC chairman
Michael PowellMichael Powell or Mike Powell may refer to:* Mike Powell , rugby union player for the Ospreys* Mike Powell , early UK advocate of radio automation* Mike Powell , U.S. world record holder in the long jump...
stated that the number of indecency complaints to the FCC had risen from 350 in the years 2000 and 2001, to 14,000 in 2002 and 240,000 in 2003. It was also found that the PTC had generated most of the indecency complaints received by the
Federal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, directed, and empowered by Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President...
. In July 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit voided the fine.
After the halftime show, the PTC launched five more FCC complaint drives, starting March 2004 with an episode of
FoxThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
's
That '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television sitcom that centered on the lives of a group of teenagers living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 1976 to 12:00 AM, January 1, 1980. It debuted on the FOX television network on August 23, 1998 and ran for eight consecutive...
titled "Happy Jack", which revolved around character
Eric FormanEric Albert Forman is a fictional character and the male lead on Fox Network's That '70s Show, played by Topher Grace. The character is based on the adolescence of show creator Mark Brazill. Most of the show takes place at the Formans' home, particularly in the basement, where he and his five...
being caught masturbating. The beginning of the 2004–2005 television season sparked four new campaigns, the first being against NBC's animated sitcom
Father of the PrideFather of the Pride was an American animated television series that began broadcasting on NBC on August 31, 2004 and was part of a short-lived trend of CGI series in prime-time network TV...
for its "barrage of sexual innuendo and profanity" while being promoted "from the makers of
ShrekShrek is a computer-animated American comedy film, directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, and starring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!, the film was produced by DreamWorks Animation...
", which would potentially attract children to watching the series. That campaign led to over 11,000 email complaints to the FCC. Later, shortly after
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
broadcast the epithet "
fuckFuck is an English word that is generally considered profane, that in its most literal meaning refers to the act of sexual intercourse. However, by extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed, and it is due to the convergence...
" during an airing of
Big Brother 5, the PTC took action again, this time citing that CBS ignored a warning from the FCC that there would be zero tolerance toward unbleeped profanity. However, those complaints became moot when Viacom, then-owners of CBS, settled with the FCC for $3.5 million regarding all allegedly-indecent programming broadcast in the years around 2003 and 2004, including the
Big Brother 5 episode in question. In March 2006, the FCC ruled that
Father of the Pride was not indecent. Following were complaints about an October 2004 episode of
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
's short-lived sitcom
Life As We Know ItLife As We Know It was an American television drama on the ABC network during the 2004-2005 season. It was created by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah. The series was based on the novel Doing It by British writer Melvin Burgess.-Plot:...
, due to its target audience being children and teenagers and the show being allegedly sexually charged.
The PTC started off 2005 with their campaign against the
Without a TraceWithout a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series is set in New York City and is about a fictitious full-time FBI missing persons unit.-Premise:...
episode "Our Sons and Daughters", leading to CBS being fined for indecency in March 2006; the PTC objected to the depiction of teenagers participating in an
orgy{Two other uses|ancient Greek gathering|sex orgy|Group seIn Ancient Greek religion, an orgy was a secret nighttime cultic congregation overseen by an orgiophant .-The Greek orgia:...
in that episode. CBS argued that the episode "featured an important and socially relevant storyline warning parents to exercise greater supervision of their teenage children". At the end of January 2005, the FCC rejected a set of complaints that PTC filed between October 2001 and February 2004 for allegedly indecent programs such as NBC's
FriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994. The series revolved around a group of friends in the area of Manhattan, New York City, who occasionally live together and share living expenses. The series was produced by...
, the WB's
Gilmore GirlsGilmore Girls is an American comedy drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. The series made its debut on The WB on October 5, 2000, and ended on May 15, 2007, in its seventh season, which aired on The CW. Time magazine named Gilmore Girls to their...
, and Fox's
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
. FCC received complaints from the PTC in the summer over an unedited broadcast of the lyric "who the fuck are you?" in
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
's song "
Who Are You"Who Are You", composed by Pete Townshend, is the title track on The Who's 1978 release, Who Are You, the last album released before drummer Keith Moon's death in September 1978. It was released as a double-A sided single with the John Entwistle composition "Had Enough", also featured on the album...
" from the
Live 8Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6-8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concert broadcast July 2, 2005 on ABC stations in the East Coast.
In October 2007, PTC requested that the FCC deny broadcast license renewal for Salt Lake City CBS station KUTV because they felt that the broadcast of the
Without a Trace episode that was ruled indecent violated community standards and that CBS failed to take action to reduce indecent content following the FCC fines. Subsequently, CBS agreed to pay the FCC $300,000 to settle the KUTV license challenge.
Starting from December 2007, the organization demanded that CBS cancel its plan to rebroadcast an edited version of the
ShowtimeShowtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States...
drama
DexterDexter is an American television drama series that airs on the premium channel Showtime. Set in Miami, the series centers on Dexter Morgan , a covert serial killer governed by a strict moral code who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood spatter analyst.The show is based on...
, whose title character was a serial killer and police forensics analyst, because it felt that the program would glorify
murderMurder, as defined in common law countries, is the unlawful killing of another human being with intent , and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
even with the edits. By early February 2008, the Council claimed to have collected 17,000 complaints to CBS.
On January 25, 2008, the FCC proposed an estimated $1.4 million fine against ABC for a scene of female nudity in the
NYPD BlueNYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan....
episode "Nude Awakening" aired on February 25, 2003. Because the episode aired outside of the indecency "safe harbor" in the Central and Mountain Time Zones, the fine applied only to ABC stations in those zones. The PTC praised the FCC's action. However, PTC president Winter condemned ABC's decision to appeal the fine in federal court. PTC has also criticized the Third Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to void the FCC's fine for the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. TV series that the PTC has targeted for FCC complaints in 2008 have included NBC's
Today morning show and CBS primetime programs
Big Brother 10Big Brother 10 may refer to:*Big Brother 2009 - the tenth series of the United Kingdom version of Big Brother.*Big Brother 10 - the tenth edition of the United States version of Big Brother....
,
Survivor: GabonSurvivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden was the seventeenth season of the United States reality show Survivor. The premiere aired September 25, 2008, with the first two episodes screened back-to-back....
, and
Two and a Half MenTwo and a Half Men is an Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe Award-nominated American television comedy series, which premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. The sitcom stars Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones. The show is about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie; his uptight brother,...
. Profanity was the main concern for
Today and
Big Brother 10, the extremely brief exposure of contestant Marcus Lehman's penis for
Survivor: Gabon, and a "lap-dance" scene for
Two and a Half Men. The PTC's first complaint in 2009 was over sexual content in an episode of
Family GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television sitcom, created by Seth MacFarlane, for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family which consists of Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie, and their pet dog Brian...
. The PTC objected to the “bestiality, orgies and babies eating sperm” of the Family Guy episode titled "Family Gay”.
Advertising
In May 2005
Carl's Jr.Carl's Jr., colloquially referred to as "CJ's", is an American fast-food restaurant chain, located mostly in the Western United States and West Coast regions. It is also in the process of expanding into Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Russia and China. It was founded in 1941 by Carl N. Karcher, and is...
introduced its "Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger" in a television advertisement featuring celebrity
Paris HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American socialite, heiress, media personality, model, singer, author, fashion designer and actress....
in a swimsuit, soaping up a Bentley automobile while leaning on it, and then eating the burger. A similar ad with Hilton for
Hardee'sHardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southern and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since being established in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain Carl's Jr.,...
hamburger chain was aired in June 2005.
The Parents Television Council and other media watchdog groups criticized the commercial for being shown during programs that were very likely to be watched by children. Melissa Caldwell, PTC research director, said, "This commercial is basically
soft-core pornSoftcore pornography is a form of filmic or photographic pornography or erotica that is less sexually explicit than hardcore pornography. Softcore pornography depicts nude and semi-nude performers engaging in casual social nudity or non-graphic representations of sexual intercourse or masturbation...
. The way she moves, the way she puts her finger in her mouth—it's very suggestive and very titillating." The group mobilized more than one million members to contact the restaurant chain and voice their concern and claimed that "[i]f this television commercial were to go unchallenged it would set a new standard for acceptable television commercial content. " Caldwell, then-president Bozell, and then-executive director Winter appeared on various news programs such as
Good Morning AmericaGood Morning America is an American news Morning show and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network, debuting on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour, available exclusively on ABC News Now, was introduced in 2007...
,
Today,
The Early ShowThe Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City, 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday. The Early Show features celebrity interviews and light entertainment and news pieces.In some markets, the Saturday version may not air...
,
American MorningAmerican Morning is the morning television show on CNN. It premiered in 2002.-About the Show:American Morning features co-hosts Kiran Chetry and John Roberts. Others who appear regularly are Rob Marciano with the weather, CNN financial correspondent Ali Velshi with a segment called "Minding Your...
, and
The O'Reilly FactorThe O'Reilly Factor is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political and social issues with guests. The show premiered in 1996, along with the Fox News Channel...
to discuss this issue. Andy Puzder, CEO of Carl's Jr., says the group needs to "get a life...This isn't
Janet JacksonJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, California, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians...
—there is no nipple shield in this," referring to the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. He continued, "There is no nudity, there is no sex act — it's a beautiful model in a swimsuit washing a car." In addition to featuring the ad on their web site, Carl's Jr. also set up another website playing a longer version of the commercial.
In September 2007, the PTC launched a campaign to get airlines in America to reduce the amount of "PG-13" and "R"-rated films shown as
in-flight entertainmentIn-Flight entertainment refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. At first, IFE consisted of looking out the window. In-Flight entertainment (IFE) refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. At first, IFE consisted of looking...
. Consequently,
Heath ShulerJoseph Heath Shuler is a businessman, politician and former American football player. He is currently a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing since 2007. The district includes most of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina...
,
DemocraticThe Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...
representative of
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
, introduced the Family Friendly Flights Act of 2007 bill to require airlines to set aside "child-safe" viewing areas for families to sit in planes.
PTC criticized television commercials for Hardee's "biscuit holes" food product for double entendres. The commercial featured consumers suggesting nicknames like "A-holes" and "B-holes" for the biscuit holes. Boddie-Noell Enterprises, which owned 350 Hardee's restaurants in four states, refused to show the ads in its respective markets. Ben Mayo Boddie, chairman of Boddie-Noell, wrote a letter to the PTC condemning the ads as well.
YouTube
Twice has the PTC targeted video-hosting website
YouTubeYouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. Three former PayPal employees created YouTube in February 2005. In November 2006, YouTube, LLC was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion, and is now operated as a subsidiary of Google...
in its campaigns and statements. PTC called for NBC to reconsider uploading the uncensored clip of the
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
novelty song "
Dick in a Box"Dick in a Box" is a Saturday Night Live digital short featuring Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg that aired on December 16, 2006.Following its debut on network television, the sketch became an example of viral video after massive exposure on sites such as YouTube...
" on NBC's site and YouTube channel. In 2008, the PTC released a report
The "New" Tube: A Content Analysis of YouTube—the Most Popular Online Video Destination, which praised YouTube for filtering adult content but criticized the site for not filtering profanity and other explicit content from comments sections.
Viewpoints
On its website, PTC states that its mission is to "promote and restore responsibility to the entertainment industry", The PTC believes that the entertainment industry—not only television but also music, movies, and video games as well—and its sponsors share responsibility with parents for children's television viewing habits. It therefore believes that television is harming children through a perceived "gratuitous" amount of sex, violence, and profanity. Its activism has influenced the removal of potentially objectionable content from certain shows, such as the
fourth season-Main cast:*William Petersen as Gil Grissom*Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows*Gary Dourdan as Warrick Brown*George Eads as Nick Stokes*Jorja Fox as Sara Sidle*Eric Szmanda as Greg Sanders*Robert David Hall as Al Robbins*Paul Guilfoyle as Jim Brass...
of the popular CBS crime drama
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
. Increased government regulation of broadcasting is another viewpoint supported by PTC. PTC considers itself
nonpartisanIn political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event or organization in which the participants do not declare or do not formally have a political party affiliation....
; others have considered the PTC to be bipartisan or
socially conservativeSocial conservatism is a political or moral ideology that believes government and/or society have a role in encouraging or enforcing traditional values or behaviors based on the belief that these are what keep people civilized and decent. A second meaning of the term social conservatism developed...
. Robyn Blumner of the
St. Petersburg Times called the PTC "the
Gladys KravitzGladys Kravitz is a fictional character on the American situation comedy Bewitched . Portrayed by Alice Pearce from the show's premiere in 1964 until Pearce's death in 1966 and then by Sandra Gould from 1966 until her last appearance in 1971, Gladys Kravitz is an across-the-street neighbor of the...
of public advocacy" in a column of hers and believed the PTC supported a federal policy on broadcast decency she called "Big Nanny run amok".
V-Chip
Since the
V-ChipV-chip is a generic term used for television receivers allowing the blocking of programs based on their ratings category. It is intended for use by parents to manage their children's television viewing. Most 13-inch and larger televisions manufactured for the United States market since 1999 and all...
was established in conjunction with the
TV Parental GuidelinesThe TV Parental Guidelines system was first proposed on December 19, 1996 by the United States Congress, the television industry and the FCC, and went into effect by January 1, 1997 on most major broadcast and cable networks in response to public concerns of increasingly explicit sexual content,...
ratings system, PTC has frequently accused the guidelines of having inaccuracy and low standards. In 1997, PTC was twice as likely to rate a show with the toughest rating classification, "red light" in the PTC's case, and "TV-14" in the Guidelines. Bill Berkowitz quoted PTC president Bozell as stating, based on PTC research, that "the current ratings system and V-chip are failures." In response to a V-Chip advertising campaign in the summer of 2006, Bozell proposed instead that cable companies either apply FCC-style broadcast television standards or offer choice in ordering channels.
Television WatchTelevision Watch is an American non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Charleston, South Carolina. The organization was established in May 2005 in response to the perceived increase in government regulation of television content...
considers PTC's reporting on the V-chip inaccurate and ideologically charged.
Cable choice
The PTC is an avid supporter of "a la carte"
cable televisionCable television in the United States is a common form of television delivery, generally by subscription. Cable television first became available in the United States in 1948, with subscription services in 1949...
services to allow families to choose only the cable television channels that are appropriate for their children. Frequently, the Council has criticized programs on
BETBlack Entertainment Television is an American cable network based in Washington D.C., and targets young African-American audiences in the United States. Robert L. Johnson founded the network in 1980...
,
Comedy CentralComedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries predominantly comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
,
E!E!: Entertainment Television is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite network. From November 2006 onwards, it became wholly owned by Comcast.- History :...
, FX,
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
, Spike,
TNTTNT is an American cable TV channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner which also owns Cartoon Network. However, despite the fact that it is a channel, it is seen all across the United States, much like a television...
, and
VH1VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
because they claim some of the content aired on those channels are inappropriate for younger viewers. On the other side of the issue, the PTC has awarded its "Seal of Approval" to cable networks
Disney ChannelDisney Channel is a cable television channel specializing in television programming for children through original series and movies as well as third party programming. It is marketed to mostly children; however, in recent years the diversity of viewers has increased with an older audience,...
and
Hallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. They specialize in re-broadcasting classic syndicated series and television movies that are appropriate for the whole family...
for their original programs.
On June 14, 2007, United States Representatives
Dan LipinskiDaniel William Lipinski is an American Democratic Party politician. He is a member of the United States House of Representatives representing , having been elected in 2004 to succeed his father, Bill Lipinski...
(
DemocraticThe Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
) and
Jeff FortenberryJeffrey Lane "Jeff" Fortenberry, born December 27, 1960 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is a Republican U.S. Representative from the First Congressional District of Nebraska. The district is based in Lincoln and includes most of the eastern third of the state outside the immediate Omaha area...
(
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
,
NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
) introduced into legislation the Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007, which intends to allow families to choose and pay for only the cable television channels that they want to watch. The PTC praised their decisions, citing several shows such as
Rescue MeRescue Me is an American television drama series which premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictional Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse....
,
The SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created and produced by David Chase. It premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10, 1999 and ended its original run of six seasons and 86 episodes on June 10, 2007. The show has also been broadcast on A&E in...
and
South ParkSouth Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become infamous for its crude, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
. In September 2007, the PTC launched a new website,
HowCableShouldBe.com, to allow cable customers to see how much they are paying for their monthly cable bill currently.
Music industry
In April 2008, PTC released
The Rap on Rap, a study covering hip-hop and R&B music videos rotated on programs
106 & Park106 & Park is a music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays on BET. Currently, it is the network's number one rated show.-History:...
and
Rap CityRap City is a long-running music video television program block aired on the Black Entertainment Television network...
, both shown on
BETBlack Entertainment Television is an American cable network based in Washington D.C., and targets young African-American audiences in the United States. Robert L. Johnson founded the network in 1980...
, and
Sucker FreeSucker Free is a series of urban music video programs shown on MTV and its associated networks. The main version of the series, shown on MTV, was known as Direct Effect from 2000 to 2006. Hosted by MTV video jockey Cipha Sounds, the show played the top hip-hop and R&B music videos that viewers vote...
on
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
. PTC urged advertisers to withdraw sponsorship of those programs, whose videos PTC stated targeted children and teenagers "with adult content...once every 38 seconds". PTC also warned radio stations about playing the
Britney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American singer and entertainer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to...
song "
If U Seek Amy"If U Seek Amy" is a song by American pop singer Britney Spears from her sixth studio album, Circus. It was released on March 10, 2009 by Jive Records as the third single of the album. In the song, Spears is looking for a woman named Amy in a club, and although it appears to be about sex, it is...
" over concerns it contained an audible use of an obscenity.