I've mentioned how much of a farce I think the Parents Television Council is, right?
Since Skins was taken off the air by MTV, the PTC hasn't had a crusade to champion. Well, until now. The media watchdog group has chosen NBC's The Playboy Club as its next target.
In an open letter dated July 25, the organization has requested that local NBC stations stop airing advertisements for The Playboy Club before 10 p.m. They've also demanded that NBC affiliate stations preempt the series when it begins airing.
The PTC declares that the series (which they haven't seen yet) "glorifies and glamorizes [the pornography] industry."
The letter goes on to describe the show with such sensationalistic wording as, "disgraceful," "a betrayal of the trust you have built over the years with America's families," and even going so far as to declare that the show is "breaking the law." That's quite the assumption to make, considering all they have to base that opinion on are a few promos released for the series.
One thing the PTC also deliberately seems to forget is the freedom of choice that families had. They declare that NBC will "force the content into the living rooms of every family," despite the fact that families have remote controls which are able to -- gasp -- change the channel.
It's frustrating to me that the PTC might actually have a good chance of driving advertisers away from the program, as they did using their intimidation tactics with MTV's Skins. I don't plan to watch The Playboy Club, simply because the premise doesn't particularly interest me. But if a show is going to be cancelled, it should be because people aren't watching, not because a small group of bullies scared away all the advertisers.
The Playboy Club will premiere Monday, September 19, at 10/9c on NBC.
The PTC thinks its powerful because Skins was cancelled. Skins was cancelled because no one liked it, but the PTC doesn't see things in a realistic fashion. They want all American television to be Barney the Dinosaur and animated renditions of the life of Jesus 24/7/365. Frankly someone should go after them for allowing their children to watch TV. Don't they know childhood obesity rates are epidemic? Why should they even encourage children watch TV at all. The more adults-only programming on the air, the less reason for kids to become couch potatoes. Go to their website and at the top is this picture of a kid staring at a TV like a zombie. That's more disturbing than anything the PTC is vomiting out.