Study discovers 'sleaze' on MTV

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TV, RADIO, & ONLINE
Study cites 'sleaze' on MTV
By David Bauder, Associated Press _|_ February 2, 2005
NEW YORK -- Approaching the first anniversary of Janet Jackson's famed wardrobe malfunction, a study released yesterday criticized MTV for the ''incessant sleaze" of steamy programming aimed at young people.


During one week last March, the watchdog Parents Television Council said it counted 3,056 flashes of nudity or sexual situations and 2,881 verbal references to sex.

''MTV has clearly chosen to cater to the lowest common denominator, to offer the cheapest form of programming to entice young boys . . . dangling forbidden fruit before their eyes," said Brent Bozell, PTC president and conservative activist.

MTV labeled the report unfair and said the group ignores the network's public service efforts, like its Emmy-winning ''Choose or Lose" campaign on the presidential election.

An independent analyst said the findings shouldn't come as any surprise to people who watch MTV regularly but would be eye-opening to people who don't -- just like the MTV-produced Super Bowl halftime show did when exposed to a large audience on CBS last year.

''There are a lot of things that most rational parents of 12-year-olds would be uncomfortable with their children consuming," said Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University.

PTC decided to look at MTV's programming after the Jackson incident and picked the network's annual ''Spring Break" week of shows to study.

During the week, the PTC said it recorded 3,127 instances of profane dialogue ''bleeped" out and another 1,518 other instances of unedited rough language.

MTV spokeswoman Jeannie Kedas said the network follows the same standards as broadcasters. MTV reflects the culture and what its viewers are interested in, she said.

''I have done thousands of these studies over the years and I knew these numbers would be troublesome," Bozell said. ''I had no idea it would be this bad."