PTC Announces Top Ten Best/Worst Advertisers

LOS ANGELES - Today, the Parents Television Council (PTC) released its "Top Ten Best and Worst Advertisers" list. This analysis constitutes a major part of the PTC's ongoing commitment to publicly credit those companies that are making an effort to support wholesome television shows, and to expose those companies that frequently sponsor violent and vulgar entertainment.

"Even though blame for television's increasingly offensive programming is often assigned to producers, writers, networks, and even viewers, sponsors supporting shows with graphic sexual content, foul language and violence share responsibility. Crude series thrive on television only because advertisers support them. Without the advertising dollars, the raunch would disappear," said L. Brent Bozell, president of the Parents Television Council.

"Corporations take seriously their obligation to enforce strict sexual harassment policies, thereby providing employees with a working environment that is not hostile. Yet they underwrite broadcast material which often times would violate that same harassment policy if the material were communicated by one employee to another.

"In equal measure, it should be noted that family-friendly television programming is on as a result of advertising support and these corporate sponsors should be commended.

"In corporate America today, there is a tragic mentality that corporate leaders must choose between profit and integrity. The best advertisers are proof positive that corporate profits and corporate integrity do not conflict. Rather, they go hand-in-hand."

The PTC tracked products advertised on all of primetime broadcast television and select original cable programs between January 2004 and January 2005. Companies were ranked on the best or worst list based on how frequently their ads appeared on family-friendly programs versus programs containing high levels of sex, foul language, and violence.

Best

Worst

1. The Campbell Soup Company

--America's Funniest Home Videos; It's a Miracle

1. Yum! Brands

--The O.C.; MTV Spring Break 2004; The Shield

2. J.M. Smucker Company

--Sue Thomas F.B.Eye; America's Funniest Home Videos

2. Toyota Motor Sales Inc.

--Las Vegas; LAX; MTV Special; Nip/Tuck; The Shield; The O.C.

3. Merck & Co.

--Star Search; Sue Thomas F.B.Eye

3. Sprint Corporation

--Everwood; The O.C.; Quintuplets

4. Clorox

--Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; Joan of Arcadia

4. Volkswagen

--The O.C.; Quintuplets

5. Colgate Palmolive

--Sue Thomas F.B.Eye; Reba

5. Ford

--Las Vegas; The O.C.

6. Sears

--Joan of Arcadia

6. Daimler Chrysler

--Fear Factor; MTV Spring Break 2004

7. General Mills

--Doc; Everybody Loves Raymond

7. Pepsi

--MTV Hits; MTV Spring Break 2004; The O.C.

8. Coca-Cola

--The Biggest Loser; Steve Harvey's Big Time

8. Nissan

--The O.C.; The Shield

9. Mars

--Everybody Loves Raymond; It's a Miracle

9. Citigroup

--Las Vegas; Everwood

10. Wal-Mart

--8 Simple Rules; American Idol

10. Proctor and Gamble

--2004 MTV Reality Awards; MTV Hits; MTV Special; The O.C.