PTC Launches PSA on Sexualization of Young Girls

The Parents Television Council has created a PSA campaign, 4 Every
Girl, which it says is meant to combat the sexualization of girls by the media
and a spokeswoman for the group says that ION, one of the nation's
largest TV station groups, is on board to carry the spots.

In
addition to the PSA,
PTC has a dedicated Web site.

PTC has complained about that issue before, but
its latest tack is to educate the public about the repercussions, which it says
include "eating disorders, depression and low self-esteem," and to
encourage the media to put forth images that "value, respect, empower and
promote the true value of every girl."

"In
recent years, PTC research has documented several troubling
trends on primetime television.  Underage girls are more likely to be
sexualized than adults," said PTC President Tim Winter.
"There is a dramatic rise in the number of teenaged girls who are depicted
as victims of violence - especially sexual violence.  Frankly we're tired
of reporting such depressing data and we want to help do something about it. 

According
to PTC, in addition to ION, those committing to
carry the spots include Dish Network, Sky Angel, GMC, and Hallmark.

The
PSA campaign was launched in concert with the
launch of the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.