Curious Minds Want To Know

Industry

By B-Side | Thursday, March 16, 2006 | 12:33 pm | 15 Comments

confusedcatThis week, that ever lovable government organization, the FCC, doled out massive fines to our faithful television networks for airing allegedly obscene material. The committee received more than 300,000 complaints, including some directed towards Without A Trace for depicting, as E! says, “teenagers engaging in orgy-style sexual shenanigans.”

Now, we don’t know how many of the FCC complaints were directed towards Without A Trace, but let’s go with a liberal estimate of 35%. Heck, let’s go for 50%. Or even 75%. That means there were an estimated 225,000 complaints over “the orgy-style sexual shenanigans.” Given that the episode in question earned a 13.5 in the ratings and a 21 share, we can safely assume that the show was viewed by about 20 million people (this week’s Without A Trace attracted 20.3 million viewers with a nearly identical ratings/share of 13.2/22). So let’s see… Of the 20 million viewers who watched this crazy orgy of sin in December 2004, an estimated 225,000 people were offended. That comes out to, uh, 1.12% of the viewers. Of course, if you lower the estimated complaints down to the more realistic 35% of 300,000 letters, well, then that means that a whopping .52% of the viewers were aghast.

All this leads me to the question of the day: if network execs paid as much time to tiny numbers as the FCC, would Arrested Development still be on the air?

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15 Comments

  1. 1
    tigereye
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 1:01 pm

    first of all, that is such a cute kitten!!!! although, i’m not sure cats get confused by the FCC all that often. second, this whole thing ticks me off sooo much, its ridiculous how much we’re sensored in this country.

  2. 2
    stacyrocks
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 1:06 pm

    Preach!

  3. 3
    EdHill
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 1:29 pm

    B-Side it is worse than that. A study concluded that over 95% of those letters are from members of the parents Television council and the only reason they wrote those letters is because they are on their email list and they get daily emails linking them to an online form asking them to cut and paste the prewritten complaint. None of them ever actually watch the shows they are writing about.

    I’m sick of all this anti orgy mentality that is sweeping our country. You know who else hates orgies? Terrorists.

  4. 4
    EdHill
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 1:34 pm

    and don’t forget youcantmakeitup’s kick ass “50 animals in casts” post.

    http://youcantmakeitup.blogspot.com/2006/02/50-animals-in-casts.html

  5. 5
    America's Next Top Fan
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 1:50 pm

    300,000 emails from one nerdy guy hitting the send button over and over again.

    Hey FCC, MYOB.

  6. 6
    Tracie
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 2:17 pm

    I know this is off topic – but I don’t know where else to say this…

    Where is the LOST recap?? From two weeks ago?? The best episode of the season has yet to be reviewed by the ‘gasmers!! I need my LOST recap, it’s been reruns for two weeks!

    Rant over.

  7. 7
    Mushy
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 3:55 pm

    You know, some dope that hates kittens is probably about to email the FCC 300,000 to complain about the photo used on this blog article.

    What a bunch of idiots.

  8. 8
    AvaMarie
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 5:20 pm

    B-Side: Are you on a break from work? You are spitting out the articles left and right! I’m amazed. Keep up the good work!

  9. 9
    EdHill
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 5:46 pm

    The lost recap should be here this weekend.

  10. 10
    ATCmurph
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 8:44 pm

    EdHill, that web site made my day. That little pug with the bug eyes and 2 pink casts was about the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time. Thanks for sharing!

  11. 11
    TWilliams
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 8:57 pm

    When is the FCC going to start dishing out fines for those horrible Erectile Dysfunction drug commercials? I don’t need to hear about someone’s private medical problem or a pill that could make an erection last for up to four hours (which might require medical assistance . . . geez, you think?). Some commercials have started calling it “ED” to be a bit cleaner, but come on . . . these commercials are really talking about sex. While that “offensive” television show might have been trying to dissuade teenagers from the negative effects of these orgies; these commercials do NOTHING but promote people having sex. Come on FCC, which is actually more offensive?!?

  12. 12
    TriciaLicia
    Posted March 16, 2006 at 11:41 pm

    More people should watch the spanish channel. The other day on some soap opera called ‘Mujer: Casos De La Vida Real’, It started off with these teenagers smoking pot. Then they decided to start sniffing cocaine. The party was just beginning apparently, because there was a knock on the door. Who could it be? Yes. A stripper. “Hola Muchachos” she said. I laughed. Then she started taking off her clothes.
    I was enthralled, at this point. I didn’t think it could get any worse. But alas, the guys ganged up on her and began raping her. All while I was eating my Cheerios.

  13. 13
    America's Next Top Fan
    Posted March 17, 2006 at 6:04 am

    TriciaLicia, what channel is that on? Porntastic Nautiness. Oops, better watch what I say or I might get fined.

  14. 14
    Sher
    Posted March 17, 2006 at 12:53 pm

    Amen TWilliams (#11)! My daughter was watching the Janet-Shows-Us-Her-Tit Super Bowl, and didn’t bat an eye at the ‘Wardrobe Malfunction’, but asked me not 10 minutes later when a commericial for Cialis came on, ‘Mommy, what’s ‘ED’?’

    I would MUCH rather my child see boobs than have to explain erectile dysfunction to her.

  15. 15
    gillian
    Posted March 17, 2006 at 4:26 pm

    I’m on board with you all. I long for the days when there were NO drug commercials on the tv. Give me beer and cigarrette ads any day. I also hate hearing about the side effects. And the erection lasting more than four hours…ummm what exactly do you say when you go to the emergency room…and what do they do for it?? BJ, STAT!?? Geeze… Also those cartoon people who are getting ready to try out his new hard penis…they really creep me out. Did I really need a mental image of these middle aged cartoon characters in the sack?

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