Thirty years ago,
comedian George Carlin recorded his routine about the seven
dirty words you can't say on television. Back then, if a
station broadcasted any of those words it was in danger
of losing its license with the FCC. A lot has changed in
the last three decades. Today practically every channel
has a few prime time programs with characters whose mouths
could use a washing with soap. And as for George Carlin's
seven dirty words (I'll let you work them out for yourself),
every single one of them has been featured on broadcast
television.
A new study from the Parents Television Council monitored
prime time programming on the six commercial broadcast networks
during sweeps weeks in 1998, 2000, and 2002. The study found
that the use of swear words in the "family hour"
(8 to 9 p.m. on the coasts) rose 94 percent in just four
years. Also according to the study, four-letter words increased
by a whopping 109 percent in the 9 p.m. hour.
Occasionally, TV writers justify using curse words to make
a dramatic, artistic point. More often than not however,
they write foul language into scripts simply because it's
an easy way to catch viewers' attention. The words, a little
shocking to the ear, make us perk up. The problem, especially
for younger viewers, is that a calculated use of swearing
on TV suggests that kids can thoughtlessly use foul language
whenever they want.
Foul-mouthed children are not high on the list of America's
biggest problems. In the face of crime, economic woes, and
drug addiction, swearing seems like a minor matter. But
pervasive swearing on TV is a bigger problem than it appears.
If swearing at each other is sanctioned, then insulting
each other usually isn't far behind. Talking back to teachers
and parents, getting into fights, bullying peers-all of
these things are a little easier when TV tells kids they
can swear any time they feel like it. Sending kids a message
that bad words are okay contributes to a culture of disrespect
that pushes the boundaries of appropriate behavior in a
bad direction.
The culture of disrespect in this country is not just a
matter of dirty words. Every time a kid sees someone on
TV get "smacked down," "kicked to the curb,"
or "punked" the idea that they can treat other
people rudely and aggressively is reinforced. The extreme
violence depicted on TV probably won't cause kids to commit
horrific acts themselves, but because these scenes extend
the extreme boundaries of behavior, the norms often get
pushed in that direction too. As a result, some kids act
out in outrageous and sometimes dangerous ways.
Normalizing curse words is only one factor in a larger problem,
but it's a big enough factor that parents should be concerned.
We need to tell the TV networks to rethink the license they've
given themselves to broadcast whatever they want.
David Walsh, Ph.D. is the president and
founder of the National Institute on Media and the Family
(www.mediafamily.org).
He has written seven books and is a frequent guest on national
radio and television.
