TV Writers Take Note: The PTC is equally concerned about violence and profanity as sex on TV

In the wake of the PTC's criticism of the FX network for bringing HBO-caliber p*rnography to basic cable, some critics and TV writers have taken the PTC to task for “hypocrisy” and claiming there was “divide” exposed between parental sensitivities on explicit sexual content and graphic violence. Simply put, this is absurd. Parents are deeply concerned about all manner of harmful content that their children could be exposed to. That’s why the PTC is so active on all of the areas within our mission: sex, violence and profanity. Here are just a few examples of our efforts on media violence alone:

• Scientific evidence points to the ill effects of media violence on children. The PTC has lead the way in educating parents about what the research shows.
• The PTC has an entire campaign focused on media violence. Recently, we hosted a 6-part web series devoted solely to educating parents on the issue.
• The PTC has published many studies chronicling the increases in media violence, including a study that showed a 75% increase in overall violence.
• Less than a year ago, the PTC published a study on cable violence that showed the intensity of violence between broadcast and cable programming was nearly indistinguishable.
• The PTC has warned parents about the problems of video game violence for years.
• Only two weeks ago, PTC president Tim Winter posted an op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel sharing new research on media violence and links it to ill effects on children.
• Specific to Sons of Anarchy, the PTC has called the FX network to account for a horribly graphic castration scene. Last year, in the wake of the Newtown shooting, the PTC criticized the network for airing a graphic school shooting.

Clearly there is nothing “hypocritical” about the seriousness of our mission or the manner in which the PTC goes about it. What is hypocritical are TV writers who can’t seem to use Google to find some facts when it runs contrary to the story they wish to weave.