More Sex on TV, Study Says
Another Kaiser Family Foundation study is out, and as The Mercury News reports it:
The number of sex scenes on American television has nearly doubled since 1998, a new study has found, as seven in 10 programs on cable and broadcast networks now contain an element of sex.
The shows that had sexual content were found to average at least five sex scenes per hour, according to the study by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
…The report did not render judgment on whether an increasing amount of sex on TV is harmful to children, but Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., offered a pointed view during a speech at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
“We don’t teach our children that healthy relationships involve drunken, naked parties in a hot tub with strangers - but that’s what they see when they turn on `The Real World,’” Obama said, citing the long-running reality show on MTV. “When they’re fed a steady diet of these depictions over and over again from the time they’re very young, this behavior becomes acceptable, it even starts seeming normal.”
Obama, the father of two young daughters, said the television industry should provide more guidance on the content of its programming. He said an improved rating system and an easier method of blocking shows that parents deem to be unsuitable for their children would be beneficial.
Still, he said, it’s the responsibility of adults to monitor their children’s television viewing habits and to be nearby to answer questions that arise. And, he said, the concern doesn’t always revolve around prime-time shows, but also products featured in commercials.
Emphasis was mine. I don’t blame TV itself for this. I agree that parents need to be more involved and they need to regulate what their kids are watching. Parents also need to let the television industry know what they want.
Related Site: Common Sense Media
Posted: November 10th, 2005 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 3
Comments
Comment from brettdl
Time: November 10, 2005, 10:33 am
I was just reading the LA Times version of this story and figured you posted on it. Experts always say it’s the parent’s responsibility, but I wonder how many moms and dads actually control their kids’ viewing habits?
Comment from Mark Sicignano
Time: November 10, 2005, 11:02 am
I think the answer to your question is “few”.
I’m a bit conservative myself, and would like to see less of this stuff and more wholesome stuff on television. Sex and Violence helps make shows more interesting, when the writers of the show lack any kind of real creativity to make the show interesting otherwise. The problem with 100 Channels is that there isn’t apparently enough talent out there to fill them with good stuff.
Better ratings and technology to allow us to block stuff. Fine. I’m not objecting to that at all.
I don’t think I’d object for stricter guidelines on what shows up on family channels and channels aimed at teens.
But I do think that it has to start with parents being responsible for their kids as much as possible. Unfortunately so many parents are AWOL on these issues.
Brett, you’ve also made the point previously that even if you can manage the delivery of content in your own home, it’s not going to prevent the kids to see it when their at school, at a friends house, or in other places out of the supervision of Mom and Dad. That’s a really good point.
So perhaps it isn’t just parents responsibility, but it would certainly be a good start. If enough parents cared, then they could probably lobby for some changes with the delivery mechanisms of questionable media.
Comment from brettdl
Time: November 10, 2005, 11:14 am
Yeah, I don’t really have the answer here, I was just pointing out that the average teen watches 20 hours of TV a week. Obviously, parents won’t or are unable to control their kids TV viewing habits.
I suspect it’s primarily because both parents work and need the electronic babysitter. In some ways, it’s safer than a kid meeting whackos online.
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