In the past decade, television shows marketed to children have become riddled with violence, mature content, and profanity.
A new report from Parents Television Council (PTC) showed:
“There was over 150% more violence and 62% more profanity on programs rated TV-14 in 2017–2018 than in 2007–2008.”
What has caused the rise in violence and profanity? Within the last decade more content has been produced for older teen audiences and less age-appropriate content for younger children.
“In February 2008, programs rated TV-PG outnumbered those rated TV-14 more than 2-to-1; in February 2018, TV-14 content outnumbered PG content in almost the same ratio,” PTC reports.
The G-rating is content intended for all audiences, and includes TV shows such as The Brady Bunch, Toy Story, and Finding Nemo. Previously assumed kid-friendly channels, such as Disney and ABC, are now producing less G rated content.
PTC mentions that although less kid-friendly content is being produced, it is still marketed and rated as appropriate for children, saying:
“Today’s TV ratings fail to reflect ‘content creep,’ (that is, an increase in offensive content in programs with a given ratings), as compared to similarly rated programs a decade or more ago. Networks are packing substantially more profanity and violence into youth-rated shows than they did a decade ago; but that increase in adult-themed content has not affected the age-based ratings the networks apply.”
The rise in violence and profanity has only increased through the years, and children’s content is expected to get worse.
ABC’s writer/producer told the Hollywood Reporter in 2012, that they’re “all about pushing the boundaries.”
According to Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of 9 hours a day on a screen, 8-12 year olds spend 6 hours, and children between 0-8 spend 50 minutes a day on a screen.
With the increase in inappropriate content and unhealthy childhood addictions it is important to vet what your children are watching and how much time they’re spending watching, posting, and listening.
