PTC, Enough Is Enough Campaign Take On MTV, BET

Two Groups Claim Cable Networks Air Music Videos that Portray African Americans, Latinos as ‘Gangsters, Pimps, Thugs and Players’

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/9/2008 4:57:00 PM

The Parents Television Council and the Enough Is Enough Campaign are putting a spotlight on their criticisms of MTV and BET over their music videos.

The PTC has been critical of the language and sexuality in the videos, and Enough Is Enough has held numerous protests outside of the home of BET head Debra Lee complaining about what it said are music videos that degrade women, promote violence and portray African Americans and Latinos as "gangsters, pimps, thugs and players."

The two organizations are holding a news conference Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to unveil a study of daytime programming that they said will reveal "shocking details" about the content of those shows, arguing that the cable networks are marketing adult-themed programming to kids.

MTV was not ready to comment on the latest attack and BET had not returned a call at press time, but at a Hill hearing on music videos last fall, MTV parent Viacom's president, Philippe Dauman, said his company does not create its videos and each is vetted by a diverse group of people before it airs. Some are edited, he added, some rejected, and all are rated so that parents can block them or "simply turn off the TV."

BET has also defended its programming, saying that it does not air programming that endorses violence or drugs or music videos that contain graphic sex or violence.