Sex and the Television

For years the topic of sex in television has been controversial, in the beginning of television a married couple were not to be shown sleeping together in the same bed they had to show separate beds so that no thoughts of sex would be distributed to the public. Now a days you can find the topic of sex on any program you watch, whether it be in the morning, afternoon, or evening. The high profile shows such as Friends, Sex and the City, and Will and Grace base almost every episode on the thought of sex or something related to sex. What does this thought do to the minds of today's youths? And how can we make sure that it does not effect our children?

In the 1930's The Hays Production Codes were introduced, these were rules that were to be followed in the motion picture industry. It states that "The sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall be upheld. Pictures shall not infer that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing. "1. Adultery, sometimes necessary plot material, must not be explicitly treated, or justified, or presented attractively. 2. Scenes of Passion. They should not be introduced when not essential to the plot. Excessive and lustful kissing, lustful embraces, suggestive postures and gestures, are not to be shown. In general passion should so be treated that these scenes do not stimulate the lower and baser element. 3. Seduction or Rape. They should never be more than suggested and only when essential for the plot, and even then never shown by explicit method. They are never the proper subject for comedy. 4. Sex perversion or any inference to it is forbidden." They were used for years and years, but are not longer followed in today's society.

In the 1950's popular shows such as The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy, and Leave it to Beaver never showed the married couple sleeping in the same bed. A kiss was only showed as a peck on the cheek or a quick kiss on the lips, usually nothing more then over 5 seconds, and the topic of sex was never discussed. When Lucille Ball was pregnant with Ricky, Jr. they were not allowed to say the word pregnant for it was found to be too sexual. But what happened to those days, the golden age of television where the good guys always won, everything turned out for the best in the end, and sex was never an issue.

Statistics show that with in the 2001-2002 season, 64% of all TV programs showed sexual content and those programs that showed the sexual content had an average of 4.4 scenes with sexual related material per hour. The talking of sex appeared more frequently with in 61% of all programs than the portrayals of sexual behavior which was 32%. Approximately 1 of every 7 programs (14%) includes a portrayal of sexual intercourse, depicted, or strongly implied.

In a recent study done by the RAND Corporation, they were able to show a link between sex in television and the sexual activity among 1,792 adolescents. "The study was done over a year, in which TV viewing data were combined with the results of a scientific analysis of TV sexual content to derive measures of exposure to sexual content, depictions of sexual risks or safety, and depictions of sexual behavior." The study showed that the adolescents who viewed more of the sexual content were more likely to engage or initiate sexual intercourse or progress to more advance sexual activity. The study also showed that there was the same amount of behavior even when the risk to exposure was only talking about sexual behavior.

In the 21st century we now have shows that are made just to talk or even show sexual behavior. The TV show Sex and the City which was shown on the cable network HBO, was based on the life of a New York Post writer Carrie Bradshaw who talked about her and her friends run ins with the opposite sex. Some of the scenes were graphic in which nudity was shown. At the moment it is being shown on TBS, but they do not show any nudity and they change a little bit of the sexual talk. Another show that has to deal with sexual behavior is Law and Order: SVU (Special Victims Unit), in which the nature of the show is based