Digital Journal — Move over Beverly Hills 90210, today’s television is busting out — it’s sexier and sultrier than ever before. According to Sex on TV 4, a biennial study recently released by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the number of sexual scenes on TV has nearly doubled since 1998. And although messages of “safer sex” are evident, they’ve levelled off in recent years.
The study examined a week-long sample of more than 1,000 hours of programming on various US networks including ABC, NBC and Fox. The study focused on all types of sitcoms, reality TV, dramas and cartoons.
Results showed 70 per cent of all TV shows include some sexual content with an average of five sex scenes per hour — up from about three scenes per hour in ‘98. During primetime hours these numbers are even higher, with 77 per cent of shows including sexual content and almost 6 scenes each hour.
So what exactly qualifies as a sex scene? The Sex of TV 4 report measured various types of sexual behaviour and content ranging from talking about sex or seemingly innocent physical flirting, to highly motivated kissing or full-blown intercourse. In 1998, researchers spotted about 1,900 scenes with sexual content in about 1,100 shows. Today, there are nearly 3,800 scenes that squeal sex.
“Given how high the stakes are, the messages TV sends teens about sex are important,” says Vicky Rideout, vice-president of the Kaiser Family Foundation. “Television has the power to bring issues of sexual risk and responsibility to life in a way that no sex ed class or public health brochure really can.”
Among the top 20 most-watched shows by teens, nearly half (45 per cent) include sexual behaviour. That list includes shows like Family Guy, The O.C., Desperate Housewives and America’s Next Top Model. In the US, the most-watched program by teenagers is American Idol.
Among the shows with sexual content, 14 per cent include at least one scene with a reference to sexual risks or responsibilities — up 9 per cent since the 1998 survey.
So what do all of these numbers equate to? Basically, on the whole, television programming is continuing to address highly contested sexual issues. And based on the numbers, it’s obvious that viewers of all ages are not only embracing the sexual content, but it’s become embedded in some of the most popular shows around.
Watchdog groups say the increase in sexual content in programming (especially primetime) is unnecessarily exposing young people to sex and its potential dangers. That’s not surprising. After all, a 14-year-old shouldn’t watch shows that have people kissing or dating, let alone warning them of STDs. Right?
