t DECEMBER 2014
por e R al E i c e Sp INSID
A N E W S L E T T E R F O R S U P P O RT E R S O F PA R E N T S T E L E V I S I O N C O U N C I L
PTC Gets Hollywood To Change Programming Choices in 2014
Prior to NBC’s July airing of the “Miley Cyrus: Bangerz Tour” – which according to news reports featured simulated sex acts and drug use – the PTC called on the network to change the air time of and properly rate the program or not to air it at all so our children would not be exposed to inappropriate content. As a result, the network omitted the vast majority of graphic content, a win for the supporters of the PTC.
PTC also took on VH1’s series Dating Naked, a reality show with contestants who date each other in the nude, alerting parents to the program and calling on advertisers to consider carefully their decision to sponsor the show. As a result, viewers stayed received under a million viewers — and advertisers deserted the program in droves. (For more details about our outreach to Dating Naked’s sponsors, see page 2.)
THE PTC’S BIGGEST PUBLIC VICTORY IN 2014 WAS THE CANCELLATION OF FOX’S LATE-NIGHT SHOW,
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH DEFINITION, OR ADHD.
Again in August, we demanded that MTV provide assurances that its broadcast of the annual MTV Video Music Awards would not contain mis-rated sexual content, as happened during the 2013 awards show with the infamous Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke “twerking” incident. PTC President Tim Winter noted, “A rating of TV-14 (appropriate for 14-year-old children) was simply unacceptable to the families who depend on the TV ratings system to help guide their viewing selections. The 2013 VMAs were a public wish to repeat.” Another victory for concerned citizens across the U.S. – the 2014 VMAs were much cleaner, with some media critics even complaining it was too sanitized!
Disguised as short-feature cartoons and rated as appropriate for younger viewers, ADHD contained vile content, including full-frontal nudity; naked, dismembered female corpses; and endless “humorous” remarks about child molestation and rape. And, if that isn’t bad enough, ADHD knowingly utilized genuine cartoon characters like Donald Duck, Pokémon, and Spider-Man, with the full intention of luring innocent youngsters into watching the program via Internet. FOX Broadcasting Entertainment Chairman Kevin Reilly even stated publicly that “Ultimately, the goal is to grow and skim off the out of [ADHD].” (continued on page 2)
Special Report — PAGES 1 & 2
PTC Successful At Changing Hollywood’s Programming Choices In 2014
PAGE 2 YOUR Voice Makes a Difference
PAGE 3
The Power of One Voice Toys “R” Us Removes Breaking Bad Toys
PTC Is Having An Impact On The Policy Front
PAGE 4
Remembering Family
Join PTC’s Fight 4 Every Girl
Insights and New Research on Family and Media
PTC Study Supports “International Day Of The Girl”
B E C A U S E O U R C H I L D R E N A R E WAT C H I N G ®
(continued from page 1)
The PTC kept up an unceasing drumbeat about ADHD, calling out every advertiser that sponsored the show and generating informed about ADHD’s graphic content.
The PTC started a major media campaign against the cartoon’s sponsor,Target, and literally one day later FOX cancelled ADHD. Since then, Kevin Reilly has resigned as chairman of FOX Broadcasting. This was a tremendous victory not only for the PTC, but for families. Other shows cancelled after PTC intervention included CBS’ grossly sexual Bad Teacher and Friends with Better Lives; ABC’s Back in the Game (about a single mother living with her drunken, abusive father); and Seth MacFarlane’s racist, misogynistic, sexually explicit, live-action FOX “comedy” Dads.
THANKS TO YOUR MOST GENEROUS SUPPORT, WE ARE
Then, in April, ADHD’s website showed a profane, graphically sexual and violent video trashing Easter and Passover.
WINNING AND REMAIN COMMITTED TO KEEPING UP THE FIGHT TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN.
YOUR Voice Makes a Difference Holding advertisers accountable for the TV shows they sponsor with their ad dollars is the cornerstone of the PTC’s Advertiser Accountability campaign. With your support, we have made significant strides in cleaning up the airwaves, by calling advertisers’ attention to sexually explicit and graphically violent TV programming they underwrite and asking them to STOP. McDonald's, the same fast-food chain that sells our children “Happy Meals,” has in recent years sponsored some of the trashiest programming on TV today! But as the result of our grassroots efforts – including online petitions, emails to company executives, press releases and more – the chain’s actions have been changing.
The PTC also waged a highly successful advertiser campaign regarding VH1’s program Dating Naked. Based on their past sponsorship behavior, AT&T, The Gap, Limited Brands, and L’ORÉAL were contacted before the show aired. None sponsored the show.
THANK YOU
Despite having sponsored every episode of FOX’s raunchy cartoon Family Guy in recent years,
shortly after the PTC began a coordinated campaign to contact McDonald’s this March, the chain stopped advertising on the program entirely.
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For Not Sponsoring Dating Naked Advertisers, along with network executives, are the key decisionmakers in Hollywood, and they decide what options you’ll have in television programming. The PTC urges advertisers to support family-friendly entertainment.
The Power of One Voice
Toys “R” Us Forced To Remove Breaking Bad Toys! Cable network AMC’s series Breaking Bad, about a high school science teacher who becomes a meth manufacturer and murderous drug kingpin, was lauded by so-called “critics” as one of the darkest programs ever on television. And now, the show’s even coming complete with a gun and a bag of crystal meth.
PTC Is Having An Impact On The Policy Front
Our efforts on the policy front may have been less visible to you, protect our children from indecency on TV. Early in 2014, PTC President Tim Winter met with the new chairman of the FCC, Tom Wheeler. At the meeting, Mr. Wheeler airwaves would be enforced, and stated that he had appointed as the head of the FCC’s Enforcement Division a former employee of the Justice Department, thus underlining his commitment to enforcing the law. Throughout the year, PTC representatives
We expect a ruling increasing indecency enforcement shortly.
But one concerned mother fought back after learning that the national retail chain Toys “ open shelves, where they were available to children. The Florida mom stated the dolls are a “dangerous deviation from their family friendly values.” She then launched a petition urging Toys “R” Us to remove the Breaking Bad toys…and last month the store did so.
THIS IS A TRIUMPH OF INDIVIDUAL ACTIVISM,
Mr. Winter also met with the membership of the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, the body responsible for overseeing the content ratings given to television programs (TV-PG, TV-14, TV-MA and the like). Shortly after the PTC expressed concerns about the laxity and inconsistency of the ratings and the lack of transparency and public accountability on the part of the Board, on the ratings process and the composition of the Board. Representatives of the Board also met with Mr.Winter and toured
DEMONSTRATING WHAT ONE
Finally, the PTC has been deeply involved in preparing legal briefs
MOM CAN DO TO CHANGE THE
Time Warner Cable merger, and has been unceasing in our press for Cable Choice – the right of pay-TV subscribers to pay for only those channels they actually watch.
WORLD IN A POSITIVE WAY.
OVERALL, 2014 WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR THE PTC – AND FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES. OUR VICTORIES STAND AS PROOF THAT, THROUGH THE PTC, YOUR VOICE AND CONCERNS ARE HEARD…AND THROUGH THE PTC, THEY GET RESULTS! PA R E N T S T E L E V I S I O N C O U N C I L
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Join PTC’s Fight 4EveryGirl PTC Study Supports “International Day Of The Girl” October 11th is “International Day of the Girl,” a day intended to promote girls’ human rights, highlight gender inequalities, and address the various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world.
Sexualization has proven harmful effects. According to the American Psychological Association, the three most common mental health problems for girls – eating disorders, depression, and low selfesteem – are linked to the sexualization of girls and women in media. The mission of the PTC’s 4EveryGirl (4EG) project is to combat the sexualization of girls by advocating for a media environment where young girls are honored, valued and represented by healthy, respectful images. In 2014, the PTC’s activism on 4EG included the following: • PTC President Tim Winter was a featured speaker on media
As our contribution to protecting girls, the PTC presented a review of three of our studies examining violence and sexual exploitation of girls on prime-time broadcast TV. We found that on TV, violence against girls is increasing much faster than overall increases in violence; scenes were more likely to include sexual exploitation if they include teenage girls; scenes involving teenage
Angeles and the other in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.The PTC’s Director of Grassroots Advocacy and Public Education, Melissa Henson, participated in the Preventing Abuse Tampa Conference in June. Ms. Henson also spoke on behalf of 4EG to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church’s Ministry of Motherhood, Ridgewood, NJ.
pornography and stripping were more likely to be presented as being “humorous” by the show’s makers; and such shows are overwhelmingly rated by TV networks as being appropriate for viewing by children aged 14 or younger.
TODAY’S YOUTH ARE GROWING UP WITH A MEDIA-MARKET VERSION OF SEXUALITY – ONE THAT TELLS THEM VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF GIRLS ARE TRIVIAL, ACCEPTABLE, AND EVEN FUNNY. with our “4EveryGirl” project.
Top row, third from the left: Melissa Henson, PTC’s Director of Grassroots Advocacy and Public Education
• the Commission on the Status of Women in New York City, and this year, the Parents Television Council’s 4EveryGirl campaign was asked to be a part of it. • On behalf of 4EveryGirl in America Task Force (TIATF) Annual Conference. The four-day event covered prevention, rescue and restoration efforts, and presentation educated activists about how sexualized media may be leaving girls vulnerable to exploitation. Through our 4EveryGirl website (http://www.4everygirl.com), public service announcements, social media, and research studies, the PTC seeks to build national awareness regarding the devastating consequences for young girls that follow as a result of their being sexualized in media – and to create a national coalition of individuals and organizations which honors the intrinsic value of every girl and presses for greater positive representation of girls and women in media.
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Remembering Family
Insights and New Research on Family and Media
Special Report — Remembering Family
As the Holiday Season approaches and families search their televisions for family-centric fare, the Parents Television Council decided to observe whether families can feel safe in expecting “Can families come together to watch shows about family without viewing or hearing sex, violence, or profanity?” To answer this question, PTC analysts examined every major broadcast network and every prime-time show that featured family as central to their storyline. The study period was from the
As our lives become increasingly busy, quality family time becomes increasingly precious.
should know. The Parents Television Council hopes this report provides insights and information that will help ensure you and your family have a safe and happy Holiday Season.
Major Study Findings Finding #1:
Within the range of shows about family, some are typically considered “family-friendlier” than others (i.e. Family Guy vs. The Michael J. Fox Show). The study revealed that families are viewing sexual content and hearing explicit language even when choosing shows that are often considered “family-friendlier” options. *It is important to note that although all of the shows in the study have “family” as a central theme, not all of the shows should be considered “family-friendly.”
33% 33% of shows about family contain violence
Finding #2:
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81% 81% of shows about family contain sexual violence
94% 94% of shows about family contain profanity
99% 99% of shows about family contain some form of adult content
Even in the “family-friendlier” shows, explicit adult content was not only delivered by adult characters. Explicit adult content was delivered by children. See examples on Page 3:
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Special Report — Remembering Family 11/7/2013 TV-PG
The Michael J. Fox Show
Michael’s son Graham walks into the main hallway completely naked with his privates pixelated for the audience. Michael tells his son he can’t walk around the house naked, but Graham tells him that it is ok since he saw his aunt walking around the house naked earlier that day.
Total Number of Shows about Family TV-PG vs.TV-14
Rating
N
Percent
10/3/2013 TV-PG DL
TV-PG
109
54%
A little boy by the name of Zachary is wearing a sign that his parents made him wear. The sign indicates that Zachary has a foul mouth. In a news story, Zachary answers the reporter’s question by saying:
TV-14
93
46%
The Millers
Zachary: Shut up ass [bleep] before I wrap your [bleep] around your [bleep] and shove my [bleep] in your [bleep].
Finding #3:
Over half (54%) of the shows about family were rated TV-PG. However, the TV-PG shows were 5 times more likely not to include rating descriptors (D, L, S, V) that warn parents of the presence of explicit language compared to TV-14 shows. Percent of Shows without Appropriate Rating Descriptors 37%
7%
TV-PG
Finding #4:
TV-14
TV-PG shows were equally as likely to contain explicit language as TV-14 shows (93.6% and 93.5% respectively). Language on TV-PG programming included: Bleeped s-words, bleeped f-words, bitch, penis, son-of-a-bitch, dick, screw, vagina, slut, ass, banging, hell, douche, bone, piss, slut, whore and more… Family Shows Containing Adult-themed Content
Type of Content
Sex Language Violence
# of TV-PG 88 102 18
% of TV-PG 80.7% 93.6% 16.5%
# of TV-14 75 87 49
% of TV-14 80.6% 93.5% 52.7%
Total 163 189 67
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Special Report — Remembering Family Finding #5:
Finding #6:
Seventy-three percent of the violent content was found in TV-14 shows and was appropriately rated to warn parents. Scenes that did contain violence but did not have a “V” descriptor in the rating tended to be scenes that depicted milder forms of violence.
profanity, etc.) aired on shows that would typically be considered “family-friendlier” fare.
List of Shows About Family ABC The Goldbergs Last Man Standing The Neighbors Trophy Wife The Middle Back in the Game Modern Family
NBC The Michael J. Fox Show Parenthood Welcome to the Family Sean Saves the World
CBS The Millers Mom Blue Bloods Hostages
FOX Raising Hope The Simpsons Bob's Burgers Dad Family Guy American Dad
**This study examined whether content was present and does not include data describing how much content was present in each show.
Tips From the Experts In an effort to provide parents with tools to keep your family’s television viewing consistent with the values you have
Realize that kids are consuming information from all of their various personal media spaces (smartphones, tablets, television, video games, and more). One of the greatest tools parents can give their children is to promote critical thinking skills necessary to understand the complex issues facing them every day. Help kids understand that issues in real life are be addressed by helping kids distinguish issues from images and rhetoric from reality.
Let your children know that it is OK to perceive the world differently from the way media presents the world. Help your kids understand that media messages contain values and ideologies that can produce social and political consequences. Child development research shows that children comprehending televised media messages and are prone to accept messages as truthful, accurate, and unbiased.
Recognize that there is a difference between reality and the way media represents reality. Y147836
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