…But Fell Short on Protecting Kids

Unfortunately, there were still a few ads inappropriate for families and kids on this year’s Super Bowl. Amid the flood of optimistic, family-friendly imagery, the commercials that featured sexual imagery stood out all the more. Many of the most objectionable ads ran only in certain parts of the country. On the west coast, Always’ ad promoting self-esteem among girls and NoMore’s anti-domestic abuse commercial were followed almost immediately by an ad for Carl’s Jr. – an ad the PTC rightly condemned for featuring a naked woman and tons of sexual innuendo. It is sad that Always’ effort to promote healthy images of girls was followed by a virtual striptease Also on the west coast, a commercial aired for the upcoming sexually explicit film 50 Shades of Grey. There was a time (and not so long ago) that broadcast standards would not have allowed an ad promoting an R-rated sex movie during prime-time hours, and especially during an event overwhelmingly watched by families. Finally, of course, there was the apparently obligatory ad for Victoria’s Secret, featuring pouty-lipped models in lingerie writhing on beds. This, too, is something that kids did not need to see during a family event. Once, broadcasters took into account the “time, place, and manner” of their programming, and scheduled their commercials accordingly. Sadly, network concern for young viewers now takes last place to promoting as much sex as possible.