Ad Naming AT&T’s Own Sexually Exploitive Show Titles Rejected by Major Newspaper

LOS ANGELES (April 28, 2022) – Ahead of the AT&T shareholders meeting, the Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) submitted a full page newspaper ad to the Dallas Morning News calling out AT&T for its pornographic and sexually exploitive programs – some of which imply adult-child sexual relations – on both DirecTV and HBO, but the newspaper declined to publish the ad. (See the full copy of the rejected ad here.)

Despite that AT&T divested its direct managerial oversight of HBO and DirecTV, AT&T still owns 70% of DirecTV, and its shareholders still own 71% of HBO. DirecTV is distributing incestuous movie titles like these: Spread Moms Legs & Bang Her Deep; Bang Moms Tight Ass & Watch Her Gush; Daddy Go Slow: 11 Inches is Way Too Big; 18YOs Beg Stepdads for Mouthfuls; My Stepson is Bigger than my Husband; Busty Horny Stepmoms. HBO streams Euphoria, one of the darkest and most destructive porn-filled programs that centers on the lives of high school children. The creator of Euphoria publicly celebrated the volume and degree of male nudity, including one scene where 30 penises were shown. In another scene, an adult graphically rapes a teenager, and there have been multiple media reports of actresses questioning the need for so much nudity.

“Our goal with the ad was to ensure that AT&T’s shareholders and Board members would see for themselves the sexually exploitative content AT&T has been pouring into America’s homes. But the Dallas Morning News refused to publish it, saying that it didn’t want to ‘single out a private or publicly traded business where the copy assumes that business' intent on their behalf.’ We didn’t assume AT&T’s intent – AT&T made its intent clear when it chose to produce and/or distribute explicit content that sexualizes and sexually exploits minors. I suspect the real reason why the newspaper rejected the ad is that they fear losing advertising dollars from AT&T,” said PTC President Tim Winter.

“As the majority owner of DirecTV and HBO, AT&T has the ability to shut down such sexually exploitative programming if they so choose.

“The sexualization of children in entertainment is resulting in tragic, real-life consequences. Recent research conducted by Thorn confirms the worst fears of parents: The number of children aged 9-12 who have shared nude pictures of themselves online has tripled in just one year. Children and teens are also struggling with mental health, with health officials calling this a mental health crisis. There is no doubt that the toxic entertainment media environment is helping to fuel this.

“AT&T shareholders must understand that sexually exploitative content has to end, not only because it is their responsibility, but because the children and teens’ lives and well-being are at stake.”