The Parents Television Council (PTC) is a US-based nonprofit organization which aims to "restore television to its roots as an independent and socially responsible entertainment medium". Although officially nonpartisan, the group tends to be highly conservative. Among its campaigns include cable choice for family-friendly networks, exposing advertisers that advertise on objectionable programming, and calling attention to the disrespect of religion on television.
History
The PTC was founded in 1995 by longtime political activist L. Brent Bozell III. Its activities extend to evaluation, rating, and educating around broadcast TV programs according to a traffic-light system of Red, Yellow and Green across four axes: Sex, Violence, Profanity and Overall; and the organization of an effective national advocacy effort.
In August of 2000, the PTC was separately incorporated, and on February 1, 2001, the Parents Television Council separated its operations from those of the Media Research Center.
In November of 2000 PTC and its former parent organization, Media Research Center were sued by the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment} for false claims, libel, slander, and other charges relating to a campaign which was used to raise funds for the MRC and the PTC. The lawsuit was settled out-of-court for $3.5 million in July of 2002. See Media Research Center for more details regarding the lawsuit.
Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show controversy
PTC's prominence became evident after analysis of complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) underlined in Congressional hearings into the Janet Jackson Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, in which one of Jackson's breasts, covered only by a nipple-shield, was momentarily displayed on network television; FCC chairman Michael 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.
20% of the complaints lodged with the FCC in 2003 were filed by or through the PTC; and discounting Janet Jackson related complaints, 99.8% are made by or through PTC. As a result there is some concern that a single-issue activist group is exerting undue influence on the process of media regulation in the US.
The counterpart to the PTC in the UK is Mediawatch, an organisation apparently having a membership of some 40,000 people, but which has a much smaller impact than its American cousin.
Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger Controversy
In May 2005 Carl's Jr. introduced its "Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger" in a television advertisement, which features Hilton Hotel heiress and reality TV star Paris Hilton in a provocative swimsuit soaping up a Bentley automobile and crawling all over it before taking a big bite out of the burger.
The Parents Television Council, along with other media watchdog groups, has criticized the commercial. The research director for the PTC, Melissa Caldwell, says; "This commercial is basically soft-core porn. The way she moves, the way she puts her finger in her mouth — it's very suggestive and very titillating." The Los Angeles, California based group says they plan to mobilize their more than 1 million members to contact the restaurant chain and voice their concern.
Andy Puzder, CEO of Carl's Jr., says the group needs to "get a life...This isn't Janet Jackson — there is no nipple in this. There is no nudity, there is no sex act — it's a beautiful model in a swimsuit washing a car." Puzder was referring to the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy.
In addition to featuring the ad on their web site, Carl's Jr. has also built a separate Web site to play a longer version of the commercial. A similar ad with Hilton for Hardee's hamburger chain (also owned by Carl's Jr. parent corporation CKE Restaurants) is expected to air June 2005.
National Nip/Tuck Campaign
In 2003, the Parents Television Council urged parents to petition Nip/Tuck for its "unbelievable" content. In 2004, they continued, and pushed harder when a threeway scene aired. In 2005, another threeway scene and a significant increase in sexual content caused the Parents Television Council to push Nip/Tuck into a national campaign.
Criticism
References
- Activists Dominate Content Complaints — Mediaweek story on the PTC
- Carl's Jr. not sorry for SpicyBurger commercials
See also
- Media Research Center
- Mary Whitehouse, founder of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, the forerunner of the UK's Mediawatch.
- Right to Censor, a WWF parody of the organization