59% of Adults Think There is Too Much Profanity, Sexual Content and Violence on TV
Rasmussen Reports: Fifty-nine
percent (59%) of adults think there is too much profanity, sexual content and
violence on TV and radio today, and more Americans than ever believe the
Federal Communications Commission should be empowered to control that content.
Forty-nine
percent (49%) of adults, in fact, say they are less likely to watch a
television program after seeing such a warning. Twenty-two percent (22%) are
more likely to keep watching after such a warning, while 24% say it has no
impact on their viewing decisions. These results, too, are similar to those
measured in 2010.
The
survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on January 10-11, 2012
by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points
with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is
conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC.
When asked who is responsible for the level of
objectionable content on television, Americans are putting slightly more on the
makers of the programs themselves. Thirty percent (30%) feel the makers of the
TV shows are primarily responsible, while 27% name those who actually watch the
programs. Twenty-one percent (21%) say the networks are responsible for the
level of objectionable content, while just 12% name advertisers. Eleven percent
(11%) are not sure.
Fifty-three
percent (53%) believe protecting children from indecency is more important than
freedom of speech, showing little change from 2010. Forty-one percent (41%)
believe protecting freedom of speech is more important.
Adults
who have children living at home with them are more likely than those who don’t
to say current TV ratings are sufficient and that they are less likely to watch
a program because of them. They're also more likely to believe protecting
children from indecency is more important than freedom of speech. Adults
without children at home are evenly divided on the latter question.
Adults
over 40 are more likely than younger adults to say a warning would make them
less likely to watch a television program.
Most
adults who watch TV every day or nearly every day feel that protecting children
from indecency is more important than protecting freedom of speech.
View the original publication here
The survey of 1,000 Adults was
conducted on February 3-4, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling
error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for
all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC.
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