KSL Salt Lake Won't Air 'New Normal'

Mormon-owned station passes on NBC show focused on gay couple

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/27/2012 11:45:44 AM

NBC's rookie comedy The New Normal won't air on the local NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City.

The Latter Day Saints Church owns KSL and has balked at airing programming it deems risqué in the past, such as The Playboy Club. The New Normal, about a gay couple adopting a baby, will instead air on either KUCW or KTVX in Salt Lake, according to The Salt Lake City Tribune.

The Tribune reports:

"From time to time we may struggle with content that crosses the line in one area or another," said Jeff Simpson, CEO of KSL's parent company, Bonneville International. "The dialogue might be excessively rude and crude. The scenes may be too explicit or the characterizations might seem offensive."

The New Normal is set to debut on NBC Sept. 11 at 8:30 p.m. It will run on the weekends on either KUCW or KTVX, reports the Tribune.

NBC said in a statement:

"The New Normal," is a contemporary look at how families are defined today, portrayed through a comedic prism. We are confident that the show will find another home in the Salt Lake City market."

Series star Ellen Barkin blasted the station on Twitter: "Shame on u @kslcom not airing @NBCTheNewNormal So L&O SVU (rape & child murder) is ok? But loving gay couple having a baby is inappropriate?"

Last year, the short-lived Playboy Club ran in pattern on MyNetworkTV affiliate KMYU instead of KSL.

"One man's trash is another station's cotton tail," quipped Steve Carlston, then-KUTV-KMYU vice president and general manager.