I heard on the radio yesterday that the FCC has granted an OK to the broadcast networks and radio stations that beginning this fall they can air shows with nudity and foul language. I dont mean a scene of someones butt like NYPD Blue or words like "hell" or "damn" but scenes of bare breasts and words that are taboo like the "f" word for example. The radio said that it was CBS that called for the rules to be relaxed. Anybody else heard this? Reason being is that the main nets are losing viewers to channels like HBO, Showtime, ect thanks to shows like Sopranos, OZ, Queer as Folk, Chris Issak, and Sex in the City.

If it is I dont get it. Doesnt CBS own HBO?
If thats true then whats the point?
Also what about the public cry that regular tv has enough sex, violence, and foul words?
If the nets do start doing airing more dirtier shows I wonder how long will it be before some shows are banned in some parts of the country. For example I have been told that Queer is Folk is banned in some parts of the south though it IS on a cable channel.

I still remember when Soap was banned in Baltimore when it first aired. " awful dirty trash" was what WJZ-TV called it back in the 70s.

My have times changed!!!

I think that is soooo crappy! Now we know TV has hit rock bottom. I even have an issue with shows like NYPD blue airing someone's butt. Back in the 50's Lucy could not use the word "pregnant". We hear all this stuff about "well if you don't like it, turn it off". That is starting to annoy me some. People turn on the TV to get laughs and entertainment.

[This message has been edited by ThomasE (edited 09-22-2001).]

I hadn't heard this, but nothing surprises me these days.

Join the fight against this by becoming a member of the Parents Television Council! Their website is http://www.parentstv.org and you can write to them for membership at the following address:

Parents Television Council
707 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1950
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 629-9255

well one of PTC's Main goals is to shut down the WWF, and im a wwf fan so forget it....

It's not going to be as bad a you think. There will probably never be nudity or strong language on any network sitcom, atleast not for a long time. The networks wouldn't want to offend a large group of people so they would use it only sparingly and the companies that produce shows don't want them to be to racy because they won't be able to syndicate them. I know NYPD Blue is in syndication but it's only on after 11 PM on weekends in most places and you can't make as much money that way. Money is the bottom line. If you don't watch they don't make money.

Also, if these really do go in effect, it'll prob. be in dramas. If they're in sitcoms, then it's sad that the writer's can't get viewers for the laughs, not the scenes!

I have also heard these reports, and it doesn't surprise me one bit. Television has been going deeper and deeper into the sewer each year. What really gets me is the fact that it is so unnecessary - it takes no writing or acting talent to produce a show the relies primarily on nudity and vulgarity. What does take real talent and creativity is when you produce a show with scripts that do not depend on such tasteless and juvenile antics as you see on "Friends" or "The Drew Carey Show". Take a look at some of the all-time classics: The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Bob Newhart Show. None of these programs engaged in the practice of using nudity or obscenity-filled scripts. If you want a more recent example of a quality show on the order of the classics I just mentioned, check out "Home Improvement". It can and has been done. Finally, I take issue with what Jwillhight said above, when he stated the following: "well one of PTC's Main goals is to shut down the WWF, and im a wwf fan so forget it....". I too, used to be a WWF fan. I began to support the PTC's efforts against them when I started to attend WWF cards in my area, and heard 8 and 9 year old children in the arena shouting out the same obscenities, and using the same hand gestures, that they saw the wrestlers using on TV. Also, there have been a number of tragic incidents where young children have been seriously hurt, and in some cases even killed, by other kids imitating moves they saw on WWF wrestling programs. If you are that short-sighted and selfish that you can't see the influence this kind of behavior has on young children, then I feel sorry for you. I have sent donations to the PTC in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.

Cable systems down south block the showing of Queer as Folk to its viewers? I have to wonder about that one.

I can see over the air tv stations block a certain show for various reasons. Many ABC stations in Virginia wouldnt carry NYPD Blue when it first came out, even in Norfolk which is a rather good sized tv market ( though the "ban" didnt last long ).

The cbs station in our nation's capitol for many years didnt show the CBS morning game shows due to them carrying a local popular talk show at 10am. As a result Press Your Luck, Child's Play were never seen in that market. Even Price is Right for the longest time was available either as channel 9 instead aired reruns of Rich Man Poor Man.

But for a show to be blocked to viewers on PAY cable, this is the first I heard. Sure shows like Chris Issak, Soul Food, and of course Queer as Folk may not be everybody's cup of tea but if I am paying Showtime, HBO, Cinemax money each month then I should have the right to see what that channel offers.

I wonder if people who pay for Showtime on these cable systems get some sort of discount?

It's not going to be as bad a you think. There will probably never be nudity or strong language on any network sitcom, atleast not for a long time.No with all the politically correct garbage in this country now? (Even in 2001 when this thread was posted)

I read something about this last year (I found the article again)

http://personalliberty.com/2013/04/08/fcc-may-loosen-broadcast-rules-for-nudity-and-language

I think the fcc knows NO ONE WILL DO THIS even if they allow it so why not?? (Most everyone is so dumbed down and in control its scary!!)

In my opinion though: THERE IS NO NEED FOR NUDITY OR LANGUAGE for a show/movie to be good!!!

Look at Star wars,The star trek movies,Land of the lost (70s),etc...........

This is why I prefer classic TV on DVD!!!

It's not going to be as bad a you think. There will probably never be nudity or strong language on any network sitcom, atleast not for a long time. The networks wouldn't want to offend a large group of people so they would use it only sparingly and the companies that produce shows don't want them to be to racy because they won't be able to syndicate them. I know NYPD Blue is in syndication but it's only on after 11 PM on weekends in most places and you can't make as much money that way.
You're almost describing Canadian TV...almost. There's no federal law in Canada to censor coarse language and nudity on TV, and it's not A-bombs, B-bombs, C-bombs, D-bombs, F-bombs...24/7, but there's some raunchy stuff including a few sitcoms.

Money is the bottom line. If you don't watch they don't make money.
And on the flip side, they including American companies did sponsor late night erotic movies back in the 70s to today 'respectable' companies discreetly owning hardcore pay TV channels.

I think it is sad that tv show writers have to sink so low to get a viewer. But sad to say many young people love the shock. I saw the other night one of those dopey nit wit 911 calls programs and a little 5 year old said the P word. "My mom will be P". I was shocked, little children saying those words. You know darn well where they picked it up. The parents. If I was a child and said that, My mom would tell me No girl speaks like that and I don't want to hear again. Times have changed. I tend to think in another 20 years the George Carlin words that were censored won't be anymore. The people who hated the words now will be dead and the younger folks will spout off the foul words like it is nothing new. I suppose we could all read a fluff book and huddle in a cave.

I hadn't read anything on this topic in 13 years since I posted on it! LOL. Wow!!!!

Yes when I first saw the post, I thought it was just posted a week or so ago. Christmas of 2012 I received a book on TV Guide covers. It was interesting to see what topics were discussed over the years. One in the 1960's "has tv gone too far in language".

well one of PTC's Main goals is to shut down the WWF, and im a wwf fan so forget it....
http://s22.postimg.org/clrlcs05t/139433579180506_1.jpg

I'll just watch less and less.

Am I shocked that are allowing nudity and cussing? Hmmmm I thought they already did! I heard a lot of cussing on TV, they said GD a LOT but beeped out F*** which burns me up! :mad: So.... nothing those idiots do surprises me.
My husband and I finally pulled the plug a few weeks ago. Funny thing is we are in that demographic target that the networks aim for but we hate the current programing. We are sick of the garbage on TV and lack of shows worth our time. At this point we are disgusted with the networks and they can take a flying leap. They refuse to listen to people and apparently don't care about the decline in morals and all the smut and lack of shows a family can watch together. We figured the best way to get our point across is to stop paying for Dish, it's all we can do. We can't get one channel without Dish but during the summer we stay busy and don't watch much TV and we have quite a few DVD's so we'll be okay. Hey, think of all the money we'll save...$132.00 EACH month and that is without any premium channels. In another year and a half we are putting our home on the market and moving, ME-TV is available in the new town with an antenna or rabbit ears so it's all good. :D

Patty Duke, I applaud you for that. I find myself watching more Antenna TV and streaming reruns. I still watch some of the current programming but I am an old soul. Why do they feel the need to push the envelope in some areas and how far can one person push? It's ridiculous!!

If they can show so much violence and things like that I don't see why nudity would be such a big deal. However, I do know that people have different views.
Violent programs disturb me much more than anything else. Although lately I've been watching The Love Boat episodes on YouTube a lot, as well as Night Court repeats on Encore. :)

Both of my sisters don't even have cable. My one can only get one channel without it but they don't seem to miss it. If it wasn't for sports I'd probably get rid of mine too.

If they can show so much violence and things like that I don't see why nudity would be such a big deal.

Took the words out of my mouth!

If they can show so much violence and things like that I don't see why nudity would be such a big deal. However, I do know that people have different views.


I'd rather not have nudity or excessive violence or foul language shown. But that's precisely why I watch reruns more than anything else, for the most part.

I don't mind foul language and violence although maybe a preference would be to have those types of shows on later. Something like this format:

8PM-G rated shows
9pm-PG Rated Shows
10pm-TV-14 shows


To be honest, I don't watch a lot of the current shows. Its not because of sex, violence or language. I just don't want to watch them. I'm not interested. I watch a lot of classic tv as well.

What's ironic is they edit harmless older cartoons for cartoon violence,yet somehow it's ok for a regular TV program to show graphic violence. Just another example of how TV has got everything backwards these days.

Racial stereotypes and smoking has been edited out of older cartoons as well.

Yes its sickening and disgusting.........

Racial stereotypes and smoking has been edited out of older cartoons as well.
I didn't know they are editing smoking out of older cartoons now too. What can I say,when it comes to TV and things related to this topic the inmates now are running the asylum.

I know lot of these reality show are getting worse I used to watch storage wars but now they keep cussing I can't stand the towing reality show they cuss high heaven I hate dog the bounty hunter case they pray before they go catch a bad guy then they cuss every other word. I think television should take a survey let people tell them what they want. I think that's why Duck Dynasty are popular you learn good lesson each week and its family show and they pray before they eat that the beast part about it we need to go back to 1990's maybe bring back tgif I don't like nick at nite sorry I don't think friends or old advturns of Christine should be on nick at nite don't get me started on theses cartoons they got dirty too. especially ones on cartoon network

I'd rather not have nudity or excessive violence or foul language shown. But that's precisely why I watch reruns more than anything else, for the most part.
Same here. That is why much of my TV watching is old shows. I just bought the complete series of Gilligan's Island last week. What a pleasure watching something with no stupid swearing.

With violence, I don't mind the "harmless" violence, as is on "The A-Team." I don't care for those slasher movies, though.

As for nudity, acceptable if it's a female; unacceptable if it's a male. :D :joke:

I know lot of these reality show are getting worse I used to watch storage wars but now they keep cussing I can't stand the towing reality show they cuss high heaven I hate dog the bounty hunter case they pray before they go catch a bad guy then they cuss every other word. I think television should take a survey let people tell them what they want. I think that's why Duck Dynasty are popular you learn good lesson each week and its family show and they pray before they eat that the beast part about it we need to go back to 1990's maybe bring back tgif I don't like nick at nite sorry I don't think friends or old advturns of Christine should be on nick at nite don't get me started on theses cartoons they got dirty too. especially ones on cartoon network


Well said. I agree totally. Also in regards to what MacLeaper says, I agree too as I watch more reruns.

I don't mind foul language and violence although maybe a preference would be to have those types of shows on later. Something like this format:

8PM-G rated shows
9pm-PG Rated Shows
10pm-TV-14 shows


To be honest, I don't watch a lot of the current shows. Its not because of sex, violence or language. I just don't want to watch them. I'm not interested. I watch a lot of classic tv as well.
More honesty, I don't watch any current sitcom, drama, or reality show. As for language, violence, and nudity goes, the shock wears out fast.

The Shield (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=523) was the last cop show I watched on TV from beginning to end. There was a formula to the swearing which defeats the purpose of having natural language.

IDK. To me, its just "Eh. Whatever." I'm just not impressed.

if you want some good clean show I highly recommend
arrow it got good bit of killing it nothing bad
person of interest
intelligence just started this year
The Mentalist
Hawaii Five-0 remake
Perception
auction hunters kind of like storage wars no cussing
American picker it got no cussing in it
Duck Dynasty no cussing good clean Christian family show
Killer Karaoke it got no cussing they got to keep singing no matter what happens or they wont win 10,00 thousand dollar .
Cutthroat Kitchen no cussing in it too.
Guy's Grocery Games no cussing in it.
Mystery Diners some time got cussing not that bad
Collection Intervention it got not cussing it about different people getting ride of their collection

classic shows I recommend
Diagnosis Murder
George Burns, & Gracie Allen show
Hawaii Five-0 the original
parry mason
iron side
WKRP in Cincinnati
Bachelor father
Magnum, P.I.
The Incredible Hulk
Mr. Belvedere
Gilligan's Island
The Partridge Family

Well said. I agree totally. Also in regards to what MacLeaper says, I agree too as I watch more reruns.

Cool.:) :cool: Thanks.:)
The good thing about reruns for me is that they are still some classic shows out there that I am interested in seeing and think I would like that I just haven't seen yet- and whenever I do get around to seeing them, they will still be brand new to me.:) :cool:

For me, My Three Sons is one that I am checking out now. There will be others that I will be checking up with but will get around to them soon.

We have come a long way, both good and bad. Not long ago I saw the Monkees episode where they are talking about Hell and that is censored out. We go from that to what we have now. I don't know if full blown nudity and swearing will be allowed on network television but who knows.

For me, My Three Sons is one that I am checking out now. There will be others that I will be checking up with but will get around to them soon.my three sons is a very good show

my three sons is a very good show


I am very invested in reconnecting with this show. I like that there are 380 episodes. I can pick and choose an era which is really cool. I like the family. Sometimes whether a show is funny or unfunny, its a matter of being invested in the family as though you know them and are intrigued with that they will do that particular week.

We have come a long way, both good and bad. Not long ago I saw the Monkees episode where they are talking about Hell and that is censored out. We go from that to what we have now. I don't know if full blown nudity and swearing will be allowed on network television but who knows.

You can definitely get that on cable TV. There is some show called something like "Naked and Alone" or whatever- I was flipping through the channels the other day and saw that it was airing- it's apparently about a guy trying to do "Survivor" for real- stranded on an uninhabited island with nothing at all- apparently not even clothes, as we see him walking around with very careful camera angles shielding out private parts.
There is a similar show to this somewhere too, I believe- one that has both men and women walking around together naked and on a "Survivor" type quest as well... again- very careful camera work. Maybe they haven't quite full out shown off women's breasts and male and female genitalia but they've come pretty close....
And unfortunately, there's plenty of swearing that goes on- both network and cable shows.....:(

I dont mind the swearing or cursing as it seems more realistic compared to some of the hokey stuff that you would see instead of swearing or cursing.

I will say that I think there should be designated times for family shows. And to be honest, WHERE are the family shows? If they get created and are good, that's half the battle. But if there are not any family shows, then your stuck with the nudity/language shows.

I dont mind the swearing or cursing as it seems more realistic compared to some of the hokey stuff that you would see instead of swearing or cursing.

I will say that I think there should be designated times for family shows. And to be honest, WHERE are the family shows? If they get created and are good, that's half the battle. But if there are not any family shows, then your stuck with the nudity/language shows.when calls the heart airing on the hallmark channel is a very well done family show

It depends on the show. Thinking back on the classics would it have made the show better if they cursed? Would a foul-mouthed Ward Cleaver been better? Would Granny Clampett cursing like a sailor have made her funnier?

I don't think it adds much unless there is a situation on a modern show where the storyline material is much more open, yet the shows in most cases are not as good.

I do think language in some genres is appropriate, for example on "the Walking Dead" or on a show about the mafia or something like that. Tont Soprano would have never used "darn" and "heck" or avoided cursing.

As for nudity, in some shows it makes sense. I still see characters who have slept together get out of bed partially clothed or holding a sheet over them as they stand up. Nobody would do that and it just looks stupid.

Now if Elly May had skiny dipped in the ceement pond, it would have been gratuitous but I would make an exception LOL. Or maybe if the girls on "Three's Company" could have teased Jack a bit more it would have made for some "Benny Hill" style leering. That show kept it amazingly clean given that innuendo was most of the plot.

I dont mind the swearing or cursing as it seems more realistic compared to some of the hokey stuff that you would see instead of swearing or cursing.

I will say that I think there should be designated times for family shows. And to be honest, WHERE are the family shows? If they get created and are good, that's half the battle. But if there are not any family shows, then your stuck with the nudity/language shows.


Well, while I can see your point about the realism issue, I would contend that I'd rather TV not reflect culture in this instance. I'd rather have it reflect what our reality should be and help encourage us to using wholesome language and not vulgar and swearing language.
I'll take the hokey stuff any day.:):cool: :lol:

I'm not afraid of foul languge or nudity if it's for realism. But I know that some people are more sensitive than I am.

I don't care for the foul language if it fits the story otherwise I don't want it used just to make a TV show "edgy".

Funny thing is the first time I heard the use of foul language on TV was watching the 1984 V-The Final Battle mini-series in it there were a couple of "damns" "dammit" and "hell".