MTV “Skins” Show Premiers – Rough Content

The new MTV show “Skins” premiers January 17th, 2011 at 10pm PST, and has an MA rating. It's been heavily marketed to teenagers in spite of this cautionary rating.

A TV-MA rating means the program may be unsuitable for those below 17.  The program may contain extreme graphic violence, strong profanity, overtly sexual dialog, very coarse language, nudity and/or strong sexual content. The vast majority of television shows that carry this rating are on cable and satellite TV; network television rarely airs any programming that would warrant such a rating, due to Federal Communications Commission indecency and obscenity guidelines that prevent most of this type of programming from airing on broadcast television.Original programming airing in the late evening on some cable networks generally will carry this rating.

This rating may be accompanied by any of the following sub-ratings:

• D for strong suggestive dialog
• L for crude indecent language
• S for explicit sexual activity
• V for graphic violence

The PTC published an Action Alert urging parents to pay attention to this show's objectionable content. “The Most Dangerous Program Ever” is the most urgent message The PTC has ever sent to parents. Following is an excerpt:

“It is absolutely crucial that you be aware of the most dangerous program that has ever been foisted on your children!

Next Monday, January 17^th, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific (only 9:00 p.m. Central/Mountain), MTV will debut its new series Skins. Here’s why this program is so dangerous to your kids:

·      Skins is filled with graphic content involving high-school children, including depictions of teens drinking, smoking marijuana, and using massive quantities of drugs, engaging in violent acts, and having irresponsible sex with each other, with their schoolteachers, and with other adults. Other TV shows, like Gossip Girl, have included some of these activities; but Skins’ depiction of such activities is on a scale never before seen on TV. Skins is so extreme that MTV is rating the program TV-MA – a rating cable has previously reserved for programs like FX’s ultra-violent and quasi-pornographic series Nip/Tuck, which was wholly unsuitable for all but those who crave explicit material.

·      Skins is about high-school children. Mixed in with the graphic drug use and sex scenes are story lines about falling in love and problems at school – elements sure to generate interest from teens. The show is being written, in part, by teens. And the Skins cast is actually made up of teenagers, not adult actors playing teens. One cast member is only 15 years old.”