Parents Television Council Introduces Utah County Chapter

Mother of Four to Lead Fourth Utah Chapter

LOS ANGELES (July 10, 2008) - The Parents Television Council™, the nation’s most influential advocacy organization protecting children from graphic sex, violence and profanity in the media, announced Karmel Larson as the director of the Utah County Chapter.

A dedicated mother of four, Larson is appalled by the plethora of negative messages that crowd television programming. “I am stunned by the inappropriate content on television that is so readily fed to young children. I look forward to working with the PTC to help clean up the airwaves and to help our children. There is power in numbers, and I think it all starts with educating the parents. Once we get more and more parents involved, I know we can make a significant difference in protecting our children,” said Larson.

As the voice of the PTC in her community, her chapter will implement the PTC’s national initiatives at the local level, in an effort to bring forth positive changes in television programming in the community. Larson and her chapter will focus on increasing local awareness about the impact that sex, violence and profanity in the media have on children by providing the community with the latest news and research regarding television programming.

Larson, in addition to being a mother and a working professional, is an activist and longtime volunteer for her community. She is presently the Utah Valley Chapter President for American Mothers, Inc., a non-profit organization that focuses on strengthening the moral and spiritual foundations of home-life for families. She is an actively involved committee member for both the White Ribbon Campaign, which is an effort to fight pornography, and Partners for Infants and Children (PIC). She has spent much of her time volunteering with hospitals, the Red Cross, the Center for Women & Children in Crisis, and for students with disabilities. Larson graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in social work. Larson currently works as a realtor and a homemaker.

PTC President Tim Winter said, “Passion is the key to success, and Karmel’s passion for helping children and families has made her a community leader. Her experience as an activist with other family organizations should help her to achieve great things for her community, as well as for families across the nation. We welcome her to the growing family of PTC chapter leaders.”

► Chapter Web Page

To speak with a representative from the Parents Television Council, please contact Gavin McKiernan at (213) 403-1300 ext. 2866.

The Parents Television Council™ (www.parentstv.org®) is a non-partisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment. It was founded in 1995 to ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media. This national grassroots organization has more than 1.3 million members across the United States, and works with television producers, broadcasters, networks and sponsors in an effort to stem the flow of harmful and negative messages targeted to children. The PTC also works with elected and appointed government officials to enforce broadcast decency standards. Most importantly, the PTC produces critical research and publications documenting the dramatic increase in sex, violence and profanity in entertainment. This information is provided free of charge so parents can make informed viewing choices for their own families.