2005 Annual Report - Parents Television Council

2005 RESEARCH
PTC’s Research Documents Violent & Vulgar Entertainment
Much of the PTC’s reputation as America’s TV watchdog is rooted in its
painstakingly-gathered and documented research. With almost 15,800 VHS tapes
containing nearly 107,000 hours of programming, the PTC’s video library and
research capabilities are unrivaled, making the PTC the nation’s foremost authority
on television content.
Indeed, government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the
FCC, Congressional and Senate agencies, advertisers, press outlets, and other non-profits have come to rely upon the PTC’s video
tape archive as a valuable resource in reviewing complaints about inappropriate marketing practices and program content.
The PTC uses state-of-the-art technology to scientifically track and monitor television content.
Every evening all entertainment programming on the six major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS,
Fox, NBC, UPN, and the WB) as well as original cable programming on networks like MTV, FX
and Comedy Central is recorded. The following day, trained analysts set about the arduous task of
cataloging in vivid detail, or transcribing verbatim, every obscenity, every sexual scene or situation,
and every act of violence. PTC analysts also keep track of every product advertised on monitored
programs.
This data is stored in the PTC’s custom-designed ETS (Entertainment Tracking System) database.
The detailed and complex data is then used to generate Special Reports and studies; publish weekly
online E-alerts and stories for the Insider; generate and file FCC complaints; inform companies about
their sponsorship patterns; and inform web users about program content.
Ground-Breaking Research & Special Reports
PTC’s video library and
research capabilities
are unrivaled, making
the PTC the nation’s
foremost authority on
television content.
Each of the PTC’s studies helps
establish where our culture stands
today, how it compares to years past,
and where it is headed. Industry
insiders know PTC studies instigate
change by helping to set the agenda
for the PTC and its members, for
lawmakers on Capitol Hill, for
countless like-minded organizations, for the sponsors, and
ultimately for Hollywood itself. The PTC’s Special
Reports are built on solid, comprehensive data
analysis and painstaking accuracy. That’s why when
the PTC releases a study, it makes waves
nationwide. In 2005 the PTC released a number
of ground-breaking studies, each of which
generated national attention.
MTV Smut Peddlers – In January at a
national press conference on Capitol Hill, the PTC
released this Special Report that documented how
advertisers target children watching MTV. The
watershed study was read into the Congressional
Record and was a centerpiece in
launching the year’s Cable Choice initiative.
4
The Ratings Sham: TV Executives Hiding
Behind a System that Doesn’t Work –
In the Spring of 2005, the PTC garnered headlines with an
explosive study that revealed the hypocrisy underlying the
TV Ratings System. This study proved that the television
ratings used by Hollywood are inconsistent at best and
completely meaningless overall. Further, the study proved
that the much-touted V-Chip technology that supposedly
allows parents to block unwanted programs to protect their
children is virtually useless because it relies on the
flawed ratings system.
MTV Content Descriptors
– As the war of words over
TV ratings raged, the PTC released
a study which documented the
complete lack of content descriptors
on MTV’s Real World 16: Austin. The
study showed that this raunchy show,
which aired over the summer and was
re-run multiple times during daytime and
early evening hours, exposed children to
sexual content and foul language an
average of once every three minutes.