Rate of 'Safer Sex' Messages, up From '98, Has Now Leveled Off
Despite Overall Increase in Sexual Content, Scenes With Sexual Intercourse Are
Down Slightly in Recent Years
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of sexual scenes on
television has nearly doubled since 1998, according to Sex on TV 4, a biennial
study released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation. And while the inclusion
of references to "safer sex" issues -- such as waiting to have sex, using
protection, or possible consequences of unprotected sex -- has also increased
since 1998, that rate has leveled off in recent years. The study examined a
representative sample of more than 1,000 hours of programming including all
genres other than daily newscasts, sports events, and children's shows. All
sexual content was measured, including talk about sex and sexual behavior.
The study found that 70% of all shows include some sexual content, and
that these shows average 5.0 sexual scenes per hour, compared to 56% and 3.2
scenes per hour respectively in 1998, and 64% and 4.4 scenes per hour in 2002.
These increases combined represent nearly twice as many scenes of sexual
content on TV since 1998 (going from 1,930 to 3,780 scenes in the program
sample totaling a 96% increase between 1998 and 2005). But despite these
overall increases in sexual content, the number of shows in which sexual
intercourse is either depicted or strongly implied is down slightly in recent
years (7% in 1998, 14% in 2002, and 11% in 2005).
Among shows with any sexual content, 14% include at least one scene with a
reference to sexual risks or responsibilities -- up from 9% in 1998, but
approximately the same rate as in 2002 (15%). In shows with intercourse-
related content, more than one in four (27%) includes a reference to sexual
risks or responsibilities. This is nearly double the rate found in 1998 (14%),
but approximately the same as in 2002 (26%).
"Given how high the stakes are, the messages TV sends teens about sex are
important," said Vicky Rideout, a Kaiser Family Foundation Vice President who
oversaw the study. "Television has the power to bring issues of sexual risk
and responsibility to life in a way that no sex ed class or public health
brochure really can."
Sex on TV 4 was released today at a forum that included opening remarks by
Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman, a keynote speech by
Senator Barack Obama, and a roundtable discussion featuring Federal
Communications Commission Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy; Fox Television
Networks President and CEO Tony Vinciquerra; Law & Order: SVU Executive
Producer Neal Baer; behavioral scientist and RAND Corporation Researcher
Rebecca Collins; and National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Executive
Director Sarah Brown. A webcast of the event will be available after 5 p.m. ET
today at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/kff/09nov05 .
"The increase in the number of TV shows with sexual content, combined with
the increase in sexual scenes per show has led to a dramatic overall increase
in sexual content on TV since 1998," said Dale Kunkel, lead researcher on the
study and University of Arizona professor. "During the same period, the
percentage of these shows that include "safer sex" messages has also increased
significantly, but has leveled off in recent years."
Additional findings:
Sexual Content on TV
-- Among the top 20 most watched shows by teens, 70% include sexual
content, and nearly half (45%) include sexual behavior.
-- During prime time hours sex is even more common with nearly 8 in 10
(77%) shows including sexual content, averaging 5.9 sexual scenes
per hour.
-- Two-thirds (68%) of all shows include talk about sex and 35% of all
shows include sexual behaviors.
-- Reality shows are the only genre of programming in which less than
two-thirds (28%) of shows include sexual content. The percentage of
shows with sexual content by genre includes movies 92%, sitcoms 87%,
drama series 87%, and soap operas 85%.
Safer Sex Messages
-- Two-thirds of all references to sexual risks or responsibilities on
TV are "minor or inconsequential," compared to one-third that are
"substantial" or "primary" elements of the scene. Since the first
study was conducted in 1998 this ratio has remained consistent.
-- One in nine (11%) network prime time shows with sex include a
reference to risks or responsibilities. This rate in prime time has
held relatively steady over the years -- 11% in 1998 and 13% in
2002.
-- Among the 20 most highly rated shows for teen viewers, 10% of those
with sexual content include a reference to sexual risks or
responsibilities at some point in the episode.
"Over the past seven years, more and more Hollywood writers have
incorporated health messages into their programming," said Vicky Rideout.
"But the potential is there to do much more."
Sexual Intercourse
-- The vast majority (89%) of characters on TV involved in sexual
intercourse appear to be adults age 25 or older. One in ten (10%)
appear to be teens or young adults, down from one in four (26%) in
1998 and one in six (17%) in 2002.
-- About half of all scenes with intercourse (53%) involve characters
who have an established relationship with one another. Fifteen
percent of scenes present characters having sex when they have just
met - up from 7% in 2002.
Methodology
The Sex on TV 4 study was designed and analyzed by Professors Dale Kunkel
and Keren Eyal and their colleagues at the University of Arizona in
consultation with researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The study examined a representative sample of a week's worth of
programming across the four major commercial broadcast networks (ABC, CBS,
Fox, NBC), one independent broadcast station that is a WB network affiliate,
one public broadcasting station (PBS), three top-ranked basic cable channels
(Lifetime, TNT, and USA Network), and one premium cable channel (HBO). A
composite week sample of programs was collected from each channel, from 6 a.m.
to 10 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (the equivalent to 7 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Eastern or Pacific time.) In addition, the top 20 most watched teen shows
from all networks were analyzed and reported on separately. All genres other
than daily newscasts, sports events, and children's shows were included.
Across the four studies conducted since 1998, a total of 4,742 television
programs have been analyzed. For this report, a total of 1,154 programs were
analyzed for the 2004-2005 television season. This includes 959 programs in
the composite week sample, 261 in the prime-time broadcast over-sample, and 60
from the teen programming sample (because of overlap in the programs, these
numbers cannot be summed). Programs for each of these three samples were
digitally recorded and then systematically evaluated using scientific content
analysis procedures applied by trained coders.
Sexual content includes both talk about sex and depictions of sexual
behavior, ranging from kissing and fondling to sexual intercourse. Only those
scenes in which the sexual behavior was a "primary" or "substantial" emphasis
of the scene were counted. "Talk about sex" includes characters discussing
their own or others' sexual actions or interests. Sexual behaviors range from
kissing and fondling to sexual intercourse.
The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation
dedicated to providing information and analysis on health care issues to
policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the general public.
The Foundation is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries.
SOURCE Kaiser Family Foundation
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Related links:
http://www.kff.org
CONTACT:
day of release, Rob Graham, +1-650-854-9400,
or +1-202-347-5270, or Sarah Williams Kingsley, +1-650-854-9400,
both of Kaiser Family Foundation
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