PTC Announces Jon Yasuda as President, Melissa Henson as Vice President

Former PTC President Tim Winter is Named President Emeritus

LOS ANGELES (February 22, 2023) – The Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) has announced that Jon Yasuda has become its new president, taking the reins from Tim Winter who transitions to the role of President Emeritus. Melissa Henson, formerly the PTC’s program director, has been promoted to Vice President of Programs.

“We welcome Jon Yasuda to lead the Parents Television and Media Council. Jon has a deep and distinguished background as a leader and executive for nonprofit organizations that help children and families where he has helped care for the most vulnerable in society, both the young and aging. For these organizations, Jon’s leadership has contributed to strategic impact, immense growth, and changed lives in positive and powerful ways. In addition, Jon has ‘industry insider’ knowledge and experience, having worked in the broadcast industry for more than 20 years. We are all very excited to have him at the helm of PTC,” said Timothy Stabosz, Chairman of the Board, Parents Television and Media Council.

Stabosz continued, “We are grateful for Tim Winter’s steady leadership for the past 20 years. He has publicly held the purveyors of toxic entertainment programming to account and compelled our elected and appointed public servants to adopt and enforce meaningful remedies. Under Tim’s careful stewardship, the PTC has become the nation’s premier organization holding giant media companies and advertisers accountable for insidious program content that airs on broadcast television, cable television, and now on streaming media outlets like Netflix. Tim also expanded the scope of our mission to protect children from harmful material on TikTok and other social media platforms. While Tim has retired as president, he transitions to the role of President Emeritus of the PTC.”

“I also have the pleasure to announce that long-time program director Melissa Henson has been promoted to Vice President of Programs. Her wealth of entertainment expertise, cultivated during her 25-year tenure at the PTC, enables her to advocate for solutions to better protect children from harmful media that Hollywood markets to them. Melissa has produced groundbreaking PTC studies documenting graphic sex, violence and profanity on television and in streaming media, has urged corporate accountability from sponsors of entertainment media, and has called out child sexual exploitation issues that have become increasingly prevalent in media targeted to children. We are thrilled to recognize her longtime service to the PTC by promoting her to this new, expanded role,” said Stabosz.

Jon Yasuda, president, Parents Television and Media Council, said, “The PTC’s mission is even more critical than ever, given the harms children are experiencing from early exposure to graphic sex, violence and profanity, including the explicit content marketed directly to them by Hollywood. As a father and grandfather, I have personally seen how media can affect children. That is why the PTC exists: to educate, equip, and empower parents, and to ensure that children are protected. I am excited to join the PTC on this journey.”

Tim Winter, President Emeritus, Parents Television and Media Council, said, “I couldn’t think of a better way to cap off my career with the PTC than to know that its future is secure with the leadership of Jon and Melissa. It has been an honor and privilege to represent families in the PTC’s quest to advocate for a safe and sound media environment for children. Children deserve to be protected from harmful media content – that will never change – and I am grateful to have played a role in advancing that mission.”