New Study Linking TV to Teen Sexual Activity

[The Straight Story]

New Study Linking TV to Teen Sexual Activity Underscores Need for Parental Involvement


To: National Desk, Religion Reporter

Contact: Maryam Kubasek of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, 513-521-6227 ext. 111

CINCINNATI, Sept. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Parents have one more compelling reason to monitor what kinds of shows their teens are watching. A new study conducted by the RAND Corp. and funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development indicates teenagers who watch a lot of television with sexual content are twice as likely to engage in intercourse than those who watch few such programs.

"Clearly, early sexual activity on the part of teenagers leads to such negative consequences as sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancies-not to mention unseen emotional damage," said Rick Schatz, president and CEO of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families. "The good news is that by helping their kids think critically about what they see on TV, parents can actually play an important role in helping prevent their kids from making some bad choices."

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35748

[Caution]

1. new data shows teens have sex out of curiousity and desire for an orgasm

you read it here first folks. tv has nothing to do with it, nor does sex ed, nor does a lack of morals.

[The Straight Story]

3. I thought parental involvement

meant they helped em pick out the motel.

[Nordic]

10. sorry, you couldn't be more wrong

obviously you don't have children.

I have an eight year old girl, soon to be nine, who is already inundated with messages, articles, images, all about sex. Her role models talk about sex. The programs she wants to watch on TV are all about sex.

If it weren't for this, she would be utterly clueless about it. Instead, we have to answer a LOT of questions and talk about things that she really shouldn't have to deal with yet.

You're forgetting that the corporate media in this country is all about sensationalism and samsara, and most of this involves sex.

Not to mention the sexualization of prepubescent girls, which has been discussed on this thread.

You try raising a girl, and get back to me.

[Wickerman]

2. Yep, they learn sex from TV, but not violence

:eyes: Ain't that right Gov Arnie (aka the Terminator)?

[cheezus]

4. "linking" : confusing correlation with causation

in other news, consumption of carrots has been linked to death!

a recent study found that 100% of people who eat carrots will die at some point in their lifetimes.

time to outlaw carrots!

[The Straight Story]

5. Like going blind

from whacking off. I was lucky, I only wear glasses because I was caught early on :)

[name not needed]

6. Hormones don't make teens horny! Watching Reno 911 does!

[Nikia]

7. Well, I could see how tv could encourage it

Most television programs have all the young adults getting laid with no consequences. Married sex is usually portrayed as rare, non existent, or not desirable. Yes, teenagers often would have sex anyway, but we can't say that the messages being portrayed have no effect on teen sexuality. I think that violence without consequences on television sends the wrong kind of message too. I'm not suggesting censorship, but it would be great if the media took more responsibility for what messages they are portraying.

[DrWeird]

9. Yes.

You see all thise women on TV walking around exposing their navels, and elbows, and faces. It's very uncivilized.

[Nikia]

11. I am talking about how they portray life

Yes, we all supposedly know that television is fiction. We know the difference between the real world and the television world.
We know that all successful women who attract desirable men are underweight or at least at the lower end of the BMI. We know that all heavy women are unhappy. We know that men are incompetent around the house and in relationships. We know that people think with their sexual organs, not their minds. We know that no young attractive man wants to be tied down in a relationship. We know that teenagers will have sex with whoever is attractive. We know that no one gets STDS or pregnant from this. We know that married sex is boring and rare. If we know the difference between real life and television, we know that these things are just fiction. Even though many of these shows are set in the present and portray situations that people may encounter in real life, we must remember that all of it is fiction. These are not scripts for real life. Somehow, along with the commercials interupting programs, people take home messages portrayed in fictional shows. People often take home these messages too. Many Americans watch too much television and experience more fictional life than real life. It is no wonder they get confused.
I am not saying that there should be programs with women wearing burkas, unless that would be the theme of the show. I am asking that programs show consequences of choices that often have consequences and don't trash the alternative of committed relationships.

[DrWeird]

13. I agree.

Kids have to understand that if they have sex they're going to end up with STDs and pregnant. Every single time. They should be taught abstenance and be shown graphic photos of late stage venereal diseases. Because scaring the hell out of them and telling them that sex is bad will surely lower the rates of teen sex.

[Nordic]

12. exactly. TV shows them having sex, like drinking soft drinks

it's just something you do, a normal part of teenage life, with no consequences whatsoever.

People have no idea who actually watches these shows. Who do you think Britney Spears appealed to when she first came out? FIVE YEAR OLD GIRLS, THAT'S WHO.

Yes, five year old girls. That was Britney's audience. Next thing you know she's turned herself into a hosebag stripper and how do you explain THAT to your five year old?

[DrWeird]

14. Well, yes. The Mouseketeers target small children.

Sick bastards.

And then she went through that teen virgin phase which targeted, as far as I can tell from the late night monologues, middle aged men.

Who's she targeting now? i don't know. Looks to have gone the way of Madonna, only not quite so well. But those five year old girls aren't five year old girls anymore.

[phylny]

8. Damn that

Janet Jackson!