 | |
| Abbreviation | PTMC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1995; 30 years ago (1995) |
| Founder | L. Brent Bozell III |
| Type | Advocacy group |
| Focus | "Bringing back responsibility andfamily values to theentertainment industry" |
| Headquarters | Alexandria,Virginia andLos Angeles, California |
| Location |
|
| Method | Media attention, direct-appeal campaigns |
| Membership | 12,000 (disputed) |
| Jon Yasuda | |
| Tim Winter | |
| Website | parentstv |
Formerly called | Parents Television Council (1995-2021) |
| [1] | |
TheParents Television and Media Council (PTMC), formerly theParents Television Council (PTC), is an American mediaadvocacy group founded byconservative political punditL. Brent Bozell III in 1995, which advocates for what it considers to be responsible,family-friendly content across all media platforms, and for advertisers to be held accountable for the content of television programs that they sponsor. The PTMC officially describes itself as non-partisan.
The PTMC produces reviews, research reports, and online newsletters that highlight television programs and other entertainment products (such asmusic videos andvideo games) based on their suitability for family viewing. The PTMC has advocated for cable television networks to be subject to the same decency rules as broadcast television, and for television providers to allow subscribers topurchase channels on an individual basis. The group has also been critical of theTV Parental Guidelines system, often deeming the ratings given by broadcasters to be inaccurate in comparison to their own assessments of a program's content.
It has mounted pressure campaigns against the producers, broadcasters, and sponsors of programming that they perceive to beindecent or harmful to children (such as those containing undue sexual content, profane language, and violence); these campaigns typically include the organized mass mailing ofform letters and emails to advertising sponsors of unapproved programs, organized mass filing of complaints via theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) website complaint form, and direct threats of long, potentially costly FCC license challenges to localnetwork affiliates planning to broadcast what the council considers harmful network programming.
Throughout its existence, the Parents Television and Media Council has been accused of promoting censorship.[2] In 2004, the FCC reported that the group was the primary source of most content complaints received by the commission.[1] Beginning around 2008, donations to the organization declined, forcing job cuts. In 2025, the PTMC filed forbankruptcy.
In 1989, theMedia Research Center (MRC) began monitoring the entertainment industry for alleged liberal bias through its Entertainment Division and newsletterTV, etc.[3] MRC founder and president L. Brent Bozell III later felt that "decency" was declining on most prime-time television programming.[4][5] The PTC began operations in 1995 following private planning meetings withCharlton Heston,Michael Medved, and others in the entertainment industry, who would eventually make up the advisory board of the PTC. After the release of its first annualFamily Guide to Prime-Time Television following the1995–1996 television season, the PTC hoped to hold the entertainment industry accountable for the indecency that it perceived to be prominent on prime-time television.[6] By 1996, the organization had the support of several members of theU.S. Congress, includingJoe Lieberman andLamar S. Smith, and an estimated annual budget of $142,000.[4]
By 1998, with an estimated membership of 120,000,[7] comedian and formerThe Tonight Show hostSteve Allen joined PTC as its Honorary Chairman, and PTC released a report questioning the accuracy of theTV Parental Guidelines ratings system[8] and campaigning for advertisers to stop sponsoring programs that the PTC claimed were offensive.[9] Allen launched a newspaper advertisement campaign promoting the PTC, which was published in many outlets includingThe New York Times.[10] The PTC was noted for criticizing such shows asAlly McBeal,Dawson's Creek,Ellen,Friends, andSpin City.[9][11] Its website was also introduced that year, and its annual budget had already surpassed $1 million.[7] 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".[12]
The PTC lost nearly $1 million in 2008 and in 2009 received $2.9 million in revenue, a 29% drop from the previous year. In 2009 and 2010, the PTC cut its staff by 38 percent to save money.[1]
On April 14, 2021, the organization changed its name to theParents Television and Media Council "to better reflect its mission to advocate for responsible entertainment on all entertainment media platforms".[13]
In 2023, the PTMC received about $1.6 million in donations, compared to $4.7 million in 2007.[14]
On October 3, 2025, the PTMC filed forChapter 7 bankruptcy in theU.S. bankruptcy court for theDistrict of Delaware.[15] TheLos Angeles Times commented: "The group’s demise reflects broad cultural changes, including a fractured media environment and consumers’ shift to streaming and social media apps such as TikTok for entertainment."[14]
PTC was founded in 1995 by longtime political activistL. Brent Bozell III. Bozell is a prominent conservative activist who has, among other things, served as executive director of the Conservative Victory Committee, apolitical action committee that has supported the election of dozens of conservative candidates. He was also National Finance Chairman for Pat Buchanan's 1992 presidential campaign, and later president of the National Conservative Political Action Committee. Bozell was succeeded as PTC President by Timothy F. Winter.[16] 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 withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) andNBC.[17] Until 2015 when his position was terminated, Dan Isett, Director of Corporate and Government Affairs of the PTC, represented the PTC on the Consumer Advisory Committee of theFederal Communications Commission (FCC).[18]
The PTC also has an advisory board consisting ofpoliticians andentertainers working to assist the council in their goal of protecting children against profanity and violence in the media. Notable members of the advisory board have included singerPat Boone, former football playerMel Renfro, writer-producer Coleman Luck,country musicianBilly Ray Cyrus, comedian and actorTim Conway ofCBS'sThe Carol Burnett Show, formerU.S. Senator fromKansas and2008 presidential candidateSam Brownback, film criticMichael Medved, star of 1980s soap operaDallasSusan Howard, andION Television producer Gary Johnson.[19] In addition, the PTC has established numerous local chapters for mostAmerican media markets.[20] Notable former advisory board members include - both of whom are now deceased - comedianSteve Allen, original host of NBC'sThe Tonight Show, andC. Delores Tucker, participant in theCivil Rights Movement and activist againstgangsta rap music; Allen is now given the title of National Honorary Chairman-Emeritus.[21]Bahçeşehir University associate professor Christian Christiansen questioned the backgrounds of certain PTC advisory board members as not consistent with their stance on morality.[22]
The website of the PTC features reports on what the group says is harmful content on television and regular writings from its staff. Their research is done with the support of their Entertainment Tracking System, an archive ofprime-time television programming that they claim is the largest in the world.[23] Such publications include:
In 2000, PTC's reportWhat a Difference a Decade Makes allegedly stated that there was an increase in profanity, sex, and violence ontelevision during the 1990s. The report also claimed that references to homosexuality increased the most during that decade – by a factor of 24.[30] In 2002, the PTC released a report claiming that there was an increase in profanity on network programming shown during the first hour ofprime time.[31] In a 2006 report titledWolves in Sheep's Clothing, analyst Kristen Fyfe reported an increase in violent, profane, and sexual content in children's programming.[32] Among its results, based on research during summer 2005, the PTC stated thatTeen Titans was the most violent program, and claimedCartoon Network had the most violent incidents.[33] Richard Huff of theNew York Daily News criticized the report for misinterpreting an episode ofSpongeBob SquarePants, "Sailor Mouth", over its intent to satirize profanity implicitly.[34]
Following the2005–06 television season, PTC issued a reportFaith in a Box that analyzed depictions of religion in primetime television. The study stated that most positive references to religion were onreality shows such asExtreme Makeover: Home Edition, while claiming that scripted shows tended to be more negative towards it.[35] The report also rankedFox as the "most anti-religious network", followed by NBC, UPN, ABC, CBS, and the WB.[36] In 2008, PTC published a report titledHappily Never After, using analysis of several primetime shows early in the 2007-2008 television season that asserted thatextramarital sex was more favored on television shows during that time period.[37] Ian O'Doherty ofThe Irish Independent 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?"[38] PTC released a report in October 2009 stating that prime-time television shows on broadcast networks had twice as many depictions ofviolence against women in 2009 than in 2004.[39]
In November 2010, the PTC released a study,Habitat for Profanity: Broadcast TV's Sharp Increase in Foul Language, which claims that there was a sharp rise in the usage ofprofanity between 2005 and 2010—during the 8 pm to 9 pm ET/PT time period commonly referred to them as theFamily Viewing Hour, the PTC claimed that there were 111 instances of profanity during this hour in 2010 versus 10 in 2005; during all of prime time, 276 instances in 2010 against 11 in 2005. The study claimed that there was a 69.3% increase in prime time in general between 2005 and 2010, with the Fox network being heavily accused of bringing a 269% increase for the network during that period. The study also claimed instances in which there was profanity, but the offending word wasbleeped out.[40]
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 the1995–96 season[41] using the traffic light system.[4] 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 "would be unsuitable for children under the age of 14", and a red light indicates that the program is "appropriate for adult audiences only".[42]
Every television season since 1995–96, 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 the1996-97 season at the earliest.[43] Starting with the 2005–2006 season, their list was based on their traffic light system as well asNielsen Media Research ratings of viewership among children ages 2–17 of certain shows.[44] Popular shows that have frequently been praised as the most family-friendly programs on television includeGeorge Lopez,[45][46]7th Heaven,Touched by an Angel,Home Improvement,Family Matters,Sabrina the Teenage Witch,Boy Meets World,[47]Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,American Idol,Dancing with the Stars,NBC Sunday Night Football,Deal or No Deal,[44] andWho Wants to Be a Millionaire. Popular shows frequently named "Worst of the Season" includeAmerican Dad!,[44]CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,[44][45]House,South Park,Two and a Half Men,Ally McBeal,Dawson's Creek,Grey's Anatomy,[44]The Drew Carey Show,Family Guy,[44][48]Friends,[43]The O.C.,Spin City,[43][47]That '70s Show[45][47] andWill and Grace.[43][47]
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.[49]Seth MacFarlane, creator ofFamily Guy, compared the PTC's frequent negative reviews of the series to "hate mail from Hitler" and "They're literally terrible human beings. I've read their newsletter, I've visited their website, and they're just rotten to the core. For an organization that prides itself on 'Christian' values ... they spend their entire day hating people."[50] MacFarlane became a target again when the PTC protested theAcademy Awards' decision to have him host the 85th ceremony.[51] "So You Think You Can Rate a TV Show?", the title being a play on the title ofFox television seriesSo 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 theTV 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" forlanguage or "V" forviolence).[52]
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.[53] Popular television shows that have been awarded include7th Heaven,American Idol,Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,Everybody Loves Raymond,George Lopez,JAG,Reba,Smallville,Touched by an Angel,The West Wing,The Wonderful World of Disney, and most recently,When Calls the Heart. Also receiving the Entertainment Seal of Approval areTiVo's KidZone television filtering service, The Jimmy Wilson Films Children's Adventure Series, theSky AngelChristian television service, and theCleanFlicks DVD filtering product.[54]
In 2003, the PTC unsuccessfully campaigned for the FCC to take action against the NBC television network in response to the use of the word "fucking" byBono, lead singer for the rock bandU2, during NBC's January 2003 telecast of theGolden Globe Awards. Among an audience of nearly 20 million, the FCC received only 234 complaints, 217 of which came from the PTC.[55] 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.[56] After the PTC filed an Application for Review to the FCC, in March 2004 the FCC decided that the word 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.[57] However, the PTC's complaints about profanity used by presenterNicole Richie in the December 10, 2003, broadcast of theBillboard Music Awards led the FCC to conclude that the language violated decency law.[58]
The PTC began attracting more attention after it filed around 65,000[59] complaints to the FCC about theSuper Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, in which one of performerJanet Jackson's nipple shielded breasts, was exposed for 9/16ths of a second. FCC chairmanMichael Powell 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.[60] It was also found that the PTC had generated most of the indecency complaints received by the FCC.[60][61][62] In July 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit voided the fine.[63]
After the halftime show, the PTC launched five more FCC complaint drives, starting March 2004 with an episode ofFox'sThat '70s Show titled "Happy Jack", which revolved around characterEric Forman being caughtmasturbating.[64] The beginning of the2004–2005 television season sparked four new campaigns, the first being against NBC's animated seriesFather of the Pride, stating that it contained a "barrage of sexual innuendo and profanity"[65] while being promoted "from the creators ofShrek", which they felt would potentially attract children to watching the series. That campaign led to over 11,000 email complaints to the FCC.[66] Later, shortly afterCBS broadcast the word "fuck" during an airing ofBig Brother 5, the PTC took action again, this time claiming that CBS ignored a warning from theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) that there would be zero tolerance toward unbleeped profanity.[67] However, those complaints became moot whenViacom, 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 theBig Brother 5 episode in question.[68] In March 2006, the FCC ruled thatFather of the Pride was not indecent.[69] Following were complaints about an October 2004 episode ofABC's short-lived teen dramaLife As We Know It, which the PTC felt was sexually charged.[70]
The PTC started off 2005 with their campaign against theWithout a Trace 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 anorgy in that episode. CBS argued that the episode "featured an important and socially relevant storyline warning parents to exercise greater supervision of their teenagers."[71] The FCC fined CBS $3.63 million in March 2006 for this episode,[71] but after a court settlement, the network agreed to pay $300,000 in fines. 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'sFriends, the WB'sGilmore Girls, and Fox'sThe Simpsons.[72] The FCC received complaints from the PTC in the summer over an unedited broadcast of the lyric "who the fuck are you?" inThe Who's song "Who Are You" from theLive 8 concert broadcast July 2, 2005, on ABC stations on the East Coast.[73]
In 2006, PTC requested that the FCC deny broadcast license renewal forSalt Lake City CBS stationKUTV because they felt that the broadcast of theWithout 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.[74][75] Subsequently, CBS agreed to pay the FCC $300,000 to settle the KUTV license challenge.[76][77] Starting from December 2007,[78] the organization demanded that CBS cancel its plan to rebroadcast an edited version of theShowtime dramaDexter, whose title character was a serial killer and police forensics analyst,[79] because it felt that the program would glorifymurder even with the edits. By early February 2008, the Council claimed to have collected 17,000 complaints to CBS.[80]
On January 25, 2008, the FCC proposed an estimated $1.4 million fine against ABC for a scene of female nudity in theNYPD Blue episode "Nude Awakening" aired on February 25, 2003. Because the episode aired outside the indecency "safe harbor" in the Central and Mountain Time Zones, the fine applied only to ABC stations in those zones.[81] The PTC praised the FCC's action.[82] However, PTC president Winter condemned ABC's decision to appeal the fine in federal court.[83] PTC has also criticized theThird Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to void the FCC's fine for the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.[84] TV series that the PTC has targeted for FCC complaints in 2008 have included NBC'sToday morning show and CBS primetime programsBig Brother 10,Survivor: Gabon, andTwo and a Half Men. Profanity was the main concern forToday andBig Brother 10,[85][86] the extremely brief exposure of contestant Marcus Lehman's penis forSurvivor: Gabon,[87] and a "lap-dance" scene forTwo and a Half Men.[88] The PTC's first complaint in 2009 was over sexual content in an episode ofFamily Guy titled "Family Gay".[89][90] Later in 2009, the PTC urged affiliates ofThe CW to pre-empt aGossip Girl episode to be aired November 9; the episode would reportedly contain athreesome scene.[91] In response toAdam Lambert's performance of his song "For Your Entertainment" at the end of the2009 American Music Awards broadcast on ABC, PTC urged viewers to complain to the FCC if living in an area where the performance was shown before 10 p.m. local time. PTC complained that the performance contained a simulation oforal sex.[92] Lambert's performance reportedly was broadcast around 11 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time, "outside the FCC's usual 6am-10pm time frame prohibiting the broadcast of indecent material".[93] ABC also received about 1,500 telephoned complaints.[94][93]
In January 2010, the PTC launched a complaint campaign after theAmerican Dad! episode "Don't Look a Smith Horse in the Mouth" aired in January 2010. The FCC fined Fox $25,000 on June 4, stating that they failed to respond to an inquiry of 100,000 complaints about the episode.[95] A month later, Fox slammed the decision, claiming that it was "unconstitutional".[96]
On May 20, 2010, the PTC announced that it plans to target CBS and its affiliates after the network announced that the new sitcom$#*! My Dad Says was added to the 2010-2011 fall TV lineup. The PTC cites both the show's title and its Thursday 8:30 pm timeslot as reasons. The series is based on the popularTwitteraccount created by Justin Halpern, who also served as one of the co-producers on the show. CBS defended its decision and said that it was working with the account's creator and its content was toned down for the program before the series premiere in September.[97][98]
On October 20, PTC criticizedGQ magazine for featuring threeGlee stars posing in risque outfits; the PTC statement said that the photoshoot "borders onpedophilia."[1][99]
In January 2011, the PTC called on theUnited States Department of Justice and theJudiciary Committees of both houses of Congress to investigate whetherMTV violatedchild pornography laws in casting teenaged actors inSkins, a remake of theBritish TV series of the same name. MTV ratedSkins "TV-MA", meaning the show is not suitable for audiences under 17.[100] TheLos Angeles Times responded in an editorial: "...looking for government remedies is ineffective and unwise; we suspect the network's editors are smart enough to skirt prosecution. The Federal Communications Commission doesn't regulate the content of cable networks, and even if it did, a crackdown on shows like "Skins" would be a bad idea, because adults should be able to watch whatever they like on cable and federal attempts to protect kids from adult programming have never been successful."[101]
In August 2020, the PTC requested thatNetflix remove the filmCuties from itsstreaming service.[102]
In May 2005,Carl's Jr. introduced its "Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger" in a television advertisement featuring celebrityParis Hilton in a swimsuit, soaping up aBentley Arnage while leaning on it, and then eating the burger. A similar ad with Hilton forHardee's 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 basicallysoft-core porn. The way she moves, the way she puts her finger in her mouth—it's very suggestive and very titillating."[103] 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 asGood Morning America,Today,The Early Show,American Morning, andThe O'Reilly Factor to discuss this issue.[104]Andy Puzder, CEO of Carl's Jr., says the group needs to "get a life ... This isn'tJanet Jackson—there is no nipple shield in this," referring to theSuper Bowl XXXVIII halftime-show controversy. He continued, "There is no nudity, there is no sex act — it's a beautiful model in a swimsuit washing a car."[105] 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.
PTC accused television commercials for Hardee's "biscuit holes" food product of suggesting double entendres. The commercial featured consumers suggesting "A-holes" and "B-holes" as nicknames 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.[106] Ben Mayo Boddie, chairman of Boddie-Noell, wrote a letter to the PTC condemning the ads as well.[107]
In 1999, the PTC launched a campaign against the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), nowWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), complaining that theirSmackDown! program contained levels of sexuality and violence unbecoming prime time programming.[108] In the campaign, Bozell said that four children had been killed by peers emulatingprofessional wrestling moves learned from the program.[109][110][111] With these allegations, Bozell and various PTC members began meeting with representatives of the advertising departments of various companies that advertised onSmackDown! to persuade them to withdraw sponsorship. The PTC also suggested that between 30 and 40 advertisers had pulled their commercials from WWF programming, an assertion that was not true.[111][112]
On November 9, 2000, the WWF filed a lawsuit against the PTC in theU.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming that the PTC's statements were false and constituteddefamation.[113][114] The WWF also filed acopyright infringement lawsuit against the PTC for using clips from WWF programs in their promotional videos.[112] The PTC filed for dismissal of the suit, but on May 24, 2001,U.S. district court JudgeDenny Chin denied the PTC's motion on the basis that the WWF's lawsuit had merit.[112] The PTC and the WWF settled out of court and, as part of the settlement agreement, the PTC paid the WWF $3.5 millionUSD and Bozell issued a public apology,[115] stating that it was wrong to blame the World Wrestling Federation 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 theLionel Tate case to blame the death of Tiffany Eunick on the WWF.[116]
The PTC would be satirized in WWF programming byThe Right to Censor, agroup ofheels led bySteven Richards who objected to rowdy, risqué, and "hardcore" activities.[117][118][119]
In September 2007, the PTC launched a campaign to getairlines in America to reduce the number of "PG-13" and "R"-rated films shown asin-flight entertainment. Consequently,Heath Shuler,Democratic representative ofNorth Carolina, 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.[120] The bill never became law.
Twice has the PTC targeted video-hosting websiteYouTube in its campaigns and statements. PTC called for NBC to reconsider uploading the uncensored clip of theSaturday Night Live novelty song "Dick in a Box" on NBC's site and YouTube channel.[121][122] In 2008, the PTC released a reportThe "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 or videos.[123]
In October 2010,The New York Times reported that former PTC vice president of development Patrick W. Salazar had accused PTC of mishandling hundreds of thousands of mailings to donors and members. Based onInternal Revenue Service filings, theAmerican Institute of Philanthropy rated PTC "C+" on financial efficiency. Salazar also disputed the PTC's official membership figure of 1.3 million and estimated that at most 12,000 people respond to annual fundraisers. Although Salazar stated that he left the PTC in November 2009, the PTC said that it fired Salazar and that Salazar was trying to extort money from the organization.[1]
The PTC also criticizedThe Muppets for not meeting "family viewing" guidelines and suggested a boycott, based on the mockumentary format of the series including mentions of plastic surgery, "inside" business language being used in a crude manner, and the Muppets in a bar consuming alcoholic beverages.[124]
The PTC also criticizedWE tv'sSex Box, deeming it "an affront to families, toxic to advertisers, and a clear demonstration of a badly-broken business model that forces every cable/satellite subscriber to pay for unwanted and unwatched cable networks."[125]
On its website, PTC states that its mission is to "promote and restore responsibility and decency to the entertainment industry in answer to America's demand for positive, family-oriented television programming."[126] 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.[127] Its activism has influenced the removal of potentially objectionable content from certain shows, such as the fourth season of the popular CBS crime dramaCSI: Crime Scene Investigation.[128] Increased government regulation of broadcasting is another viewpoint supported by PTC.[129] PTC considers itselfnonpartisan;[127][130] others have considered the PTC to besocially conservative.[131]Robyn Blumner of theSt. Petersburg Times called the PTC "theGladys Kravitz of public advocacy" and believed the PTC supported a federal policy on broadcast decency she called "Big Nanny run amok".[132]
Since the introduction of theTV Parental Guidelines ratings system, the 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.[133] Bill Berkowitz quoted PTC president Bozell as stating, based on PTC research, that "the current ratings system andV-chip are failures."[134] 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.[135]Television Watch considers PTC's reporting on the V-chip inaccurate and ideologically charged.[136]
The PTC is an avid supporter of "a la carte"cable television services to allow families to choose only the cable television channels that are appropriate for their children, and also impose the same decency standards already in place on broadcast television on cable channels.[137] Frequently, the council has criticized programs onBET,Comedy Central,E!,FX,MTV,[138]Spike,TNT, andVH1 because they claim some of the content aired on those channels is inappropriate for younger viewers.[139] On the other side of the issue, the PTC has awarded its "Seal of Approval" to cable networksDisney Channel[140] andHallmark Channel[141] for their original programs several years ago.
On June 14, 2007, United States RepresentativesDan Lipinski (Democratic,Illinois) andJeff Fortenberry (Republican,Nebraska) 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. 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.[142]
In August 2013, the PTC released a statement criticizing MTV for the airing of a performance byMiley Cyrus during itsVideo Music Awards and urged Congress to pass the Television Consumer Freedom Act.[143]
In April 2008, PTC releasedThe Rap on Rap, a study covering hip-hop and R&B music videos rotated on programs106 & Park andRap City, both shown onBET, andSucker Free onMTV. PTC urged advertisers to withdraw sponsorship of those programs, whose videos PTC stated targeted children and teenagers "with adult content ... once every 38 seconds".[144][145] PTC also warned radio stations about playing theBritney Spears song "If U Seek Amy" over concerns it contained an audible use of an obscenity.[146] In response to the music video toMiley Cyrus' song "Who Owns My Heart", the PTC stated that it felt it was "unfortunate that she would participate in such a sexualized video like this one"; ironically, Miley Cyrus' fatherBilly Ray Cyrus sat on the PTC Advisory Board at the time.[1]
In May 2011, the PTC took issue withRihanna's music video for her song "Man Down." In the video Rihanna portrays a woman who resorts to killing the man who had previously raped her. They claimed the video promoted gun crime and murder, while the pop star said she wanted to be a voice to victims. After the video became the most viewedYouTube video that week, she sarcastically used Twitter to thank the PTC forhelping her make the video such a success.[147]
The PTMC has been frequently criticized for hypocrisy, slanted reporting and only criticizing shows that are aimed at adults. Critics of the PTMC have alleged that it supports increased governmental censorship of television by lobbying the FCC for indecency enforcement for certain television shows[129] and inaccurately reporting on theV-Chip in order to further their agenda.[148]
Family Guy creatorSeth MacFarlane, who the PTMC frequently criticizes, said inThe Advocate[149]
Oh, yeah. That's like getting hate mail fromHitler. They're literally terrible human beings. I've read their newsletter, I've visited their website, and they're just rotten to the core. For an organization that prides itself on Christian values—I mean, I'm an atheist, so what do I know?—they spend their entire day hating people. They can all suck my dick as far as I'm concerned.
Kurt Sutter, creator ofSons of Anarchy responded to Bozell's article that attacked the season 6 premiere of his show due to it including a school shooting scene, calling the PTC "a hate club" and Bozell an "idiot" as well as "a pathetic fucking douchebag and I bet your own kids fucking hate you.”[150]
In January 2005,Bahçeşehir University associate professor Christian Christiansen questioned the backgrounds of certain PTC Advisory Board members, contending they are not consistent with their stance on morality.[22] Christiansen's observations were as follows:L. Brent Bozell III as 'National Finance Chairman for the 1992 "Buchanan for President" campaign' of "neo-fascistPat Buchanan";Susan Howard's portrayal of adulterousDonna Culver Krebbs on TV seriesDallas, which series "was soaked in scantily-clad women, emotional cruelty, violence, alcoholism, and marital infidelity"; Coleman Luck as 'writer and producer' ... 'onOtherworld,The Equalizer,Gabriel's Fire,Matrix, andThe Burning Zone [which] ... included a fair amount of death and violence';William Bennett as "a popular guest at a number of Las Vegas casinos";Bruce Jarchow appearing in "less family-friendly products... such asThe Puppet Masters,Mad Dog and Glory andMarried... with Children;Billy Ray Cyrus, who starred inMulholland Drive made by filmmakerDavid Lynch; and John Carvelli, 'who, in 1987, "took part in a fact-finding mission inNicaragua andHonduras with the National Conservative Foundation during theNicaraguan civil war."'[22]
In a December 2005 column of his,Advertising Age columnist Simon Dumenco claimed that the PTC is "very very afraid of gay TV characters".[151]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."[26]
