The culture takes another turn toward the nude

By Tom Quiner

Prince Harry galavants in the nude.

“Palace fury at Harry naked photos” screams the Drudge report.

Meanwhile, the Parents Television Council reports that nudity is exploding on network television. The number of “full nude” scenes increased by 407% from last year. Seventy percent of these occurred before 9 PM when younger viewers are more likely to be exposed.

Full frontal nudity has increased 6300% (you read that correctly) since last year, although the genital region is usually somewhat obscured via pixelation.

Melissa Henson, director of communications for the PTC, explains what is going on:

“For years executives at the broadcast networks have been telegraphing their intent to follow in the footsteps of premium cable networks like HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime, and as this data shows, they are doing exactly that. They have been aggressively increasing the amount and explicitness of sexual content, nudity, foul language and violence in their primetime offerings, while excusing it by saying that’s what they have to do to ‘stay competitive’ with premium channels that garner only 1/10th the audience, even on their highest-rated programs. Nevertheless, it’s shocking to see a more than 400 percent increase in just two years.”

The president of PTC, Tim Winter, sent a letter to Congress asking them to lean on the Federal Communications Commission to follow up on the 1.6 million unexamined indecency complaints they’re sitting on. The FCC has five commissioners who are appointed by the President. Three of the current five commissioners are Democrats.

Is this reticence to follow up on network indecency reflective of a different value system of this administration, or is the FCC simply bogged down in bureaucracy? Why the explosion in nudity under Obama but not Bush?

I think the human body is a work of art, one of God’s most beautiful creations.

However, the rising tide of public nudity is potentially destructive for a number of reasons. Much nudity exploits human sexuality, usually depicting it in an unwholesome way for the sake of titillation and ratings.

And it sends a bad message, that the way we look is vitally important, when in fact, it is the way we behave that is vitally important. Values are more important than being skinny, buff, or looking sexy naked.

President Obama could make a contribution to slowing the decline of our culture if he would exercise his authority over the commissioners he appointed to the FCC by asking them to crack down on nudity on public airwaves. That’s their job, isn’t it?

In the meantime, our thanks to the PTC for serving the public interest and watching out for our kids.