Use Of Profanity On TV Increasing, Study Shows

wlky ^ | 9-23-03

[hoosierskypilot]

LOS ANGELES -- There's too dang much cussin' on TV these days -- and it's creeping into the family hour, according to a new report by a watchdog group.

Researchers found that television writers are including more four-letter words in their primetime scripts these days.

The Parents Television Council studied six broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, WB and UPN -- during the two-week November sweeps period in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

The group found a jump in profanity on every network and in every time slot. The study found during the so-called "family hour," from 8 to 9 p.m., foul language increased by more than 94 percent between 1998 and 2002.

And profanity rose by 109 percent during the 9 p.m. hour in the same period.

The group is crying foul over the results. It says the TV industry needs to "get serious" about reducing what it says has become a "flood of vulgarity" coming into homes via television.

"Once prime-time television decides to absorb something, it becomes a stamp of normalcy. It's no longer controversial. It's no longer a big deal. It makes it a casual, accepted sort of thing," said Syracuse University professor Robert Thompson.

The report says that once the initial taboo is broken and the shock value wears off, more and more curse words fall into the category of "acceptable" language, and TV must try to up the ante by introducing new words to prime time TV's obscene lexicon.

But what's the big deal? With so many other dangerous influences bombarding children, should parents really be concerned if their teen swears?

Some experts say cursing is a precursor for other types of aggression.

"Very often, rudeness and cursing are the beginning of an escalation toward violence. Words, our words, are like our hands. They can soothe and heal, but they can also strike, which means they can hurt," said P.M. Forni, co-founder of the Civility Project at Johns Hopkins University.

[My2Cents]

Damn! I can't stand that kind of crap!

[GSWarrior]

Family hour....that's pretty funny.

[Huck]

Family hour....that's pretty funny.

Yeah. I was a kid in the 70s, and the shows I remember watching with my family are Little House on the Prairie, the Waltons, Wild Kingdom, Six Million Dollar Man, and Emergency. Those were all family shows. Kids shows. But my dad let me watch some racier stuff too, like Sanford and Son, and even Monty Python.

[So Cal Rocket]

My parents wouldn't let me watch Laugh-In... as it was considered too racy!

[ScottinSacto]

OH $#!T!!!!!

[My2Cents]

Today, the Family Hour seems to be filled with shows such as "Joe Millionaire," and "Who Wants To Be a Shameless Slut?"

[Spok]

What offends me (and I assure you that darn little does) is that the use of "Oh my G*d!" is not considered profanity, even though it's the only one that's Biblically described as profane.

[Huck]

My dad let me watch some naughty stuff. I hardly understood it anyway. It was all comedy type stuff. I think I might have seen Laugh in. But I was embarassed when there was something sexy on.

[renosathug]

Wow...thought I had the only meanie parents!!!!

[Huck]

My tv habits are like my reading habits: 99.99999% non fiction. I like watching some old movies on TV. My wife and I enjoyed High Anxiety the other night. But there is not a single drama or sitcom that I watch. The last shows I liked were cartoons (Simpsons and King of the Hill.)

[small_l_libertarian]

My grandpa used to let me watch Benny Hill with him. My grandma called him a dirty old man, but we thought it was hilarious.

[gortklattu]

Oh, Damn, I said crap, Oh **, I said &$(#@, Oh *(#$#, I said F)O(#......

[vin-one]

No Sh%T,

just needed to add my Freaking 2cents

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list... [As i mentioned, the B/C & JD! lists are going to float into and out of whack over the forseeable future, while I try to cobble a rig back together for myself. My apologies for any incovenience or misunderstandings in this time frame. New signups/removals may be flaky in this time-frame as well; please bear with me, and keep in mind you may have to FReemail me more than once for me to get it done. Thanks again!]

[Huck]

My dad used to let me watch Hee Haw. I am not sure, but I dont think he watched for the music, or for Roy Clark comedy skits. They had some hooters on that show. It did make a country/bluegrass fan out of me, though.

[My2Cents]

I tend toward nonfiction as well (in reading, and TV). Usually watch Fox News (of course :-), ESPN, local teams on Fox Sports Net, History Channel, CSPAN (on occasion). I never watch dramas (except for some things on Sci Fi Channel -- Stargate SG1 mainly). But I have to admit that my most recent TV addiction is "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge." I'm sure this show will get tiresome eventually, but right now, IMO, it's the funniest thing on the tube.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[Huck]

I used to get home in time for Brit Hume, but now I don't, and there's really nothing else on FoxNews I am interested in. I like History Channel. I like Discovery. And some sports--MLB, NFL mainly. I am outside all weekend long.

[My2Cents]

Oh, I forgot...."American Chopper." Love the way the father and son fight.