PTC Celebrates “Swingtown”
Death Knell
LOS ANGELES
(January 15, 2009) – The
Parents Television Council™
applauded the formal
announcement by CBS
Entertainment President Nina
Tassler that
Swingtown would
not be returning to the
broadcast network’s
schedule. As reported in
Broadcasting & Cable,
Tassler told the TV Critics
Association Winter Press
Tour yesterday:
“No we are not going back to
Swingtown. That
show was also a victim of
the strike. It was a risk.
We took it and are proud of
it.”
“On behalf of the nation’s
children and families, the
PTC applauds and celebrates
the removal of
Swingtown from
the public airwaves. But
let’s be clear about why the
program was pulled from the
schedule: It had nothing to
do with the writer’s strike
and everything to do with
the program’s lack of
sponsors. CBS’ claim that
Swingtown was a
victim of the strike is
nothing but PR spin to
conceal what really happened,”
said PTC President Tim
Winter.
Swingtown
gave viewers a look into a
world of drugs and sexual
experimentation with the
premise of open marriage at
its core. The show aired as
early as 9:00 pm in the
Central/Mountain time zones,
and aired content such as a
ménage à trois, orgies, and
the characters enjoying
drugs such as marijuana,
cocaine and Quaaludes.
“After
the PTC and its members
contacted advertisers about
the concerning content on
Swingtown, the
most responsible corporate
sponsors stepped away from
the show. The decision to
do so is a testament to the
sponsors’ good management
and to the powerful voices
of concerned citizens across
America who spoke out
against a program chock-full
of graphic content,”
said Winter.
