Sexuality Content in Television and Movies

Research has indicated that young people are regular consumers of television programming. More than 80% of young people between the ages of 8 and 18 view over 3 hours of television per day. Over the last 20 years, the amount of sexuality-themed content on television and movies has increased tremendously. Young people are regularly exposed to a larger quantity of sexuality-related content and more graphic sexuality-related content than the generations before them.

A 2005 study looking at sexual behavior and talk about sex on television found that nearly 70% of the shows reviewed contained sexual content. Sexuality was talked about in 68% of shows and approximately 35% showed some form of physical behavior (ex. flirting, kissing, touching, and various forms of sexual intercourse either depicted or implied) related to sexuality. This trend represents a 50% increase in sexuality-related discussion and depiction just since the 1997-1998 television season!

The programs most likely to present sexual material were

• Movies
• Comedies
• Dramas
• Soap operas

Among television shows popular among teens, the most common behavior depicted was passionate kissing. Sexual intercourse was depicted less than 10%

Of all television programs that included sexual content, only about 14% also contained at least one message about risks and responsibilities of sexual behavior.

Less than 1% of the time did the safety message and the behavior occur in the same scene.

The researchers summed up the data as follows:

Presently, the average viewer would see six shows containing sexual content without the slightest mention of sexual risk issues for every one that includes any reference to such topics. They would see 20 shows with sexual scenes that include either no mention or only minor treatment of a sexual risk or responsibility concern before they encounter one that offers a scene with substantial or primary emphasis devoted to it. And the average viewer would see roughly one hundred programs with sexual content before they encounter a single one that places strong emphasis throughout the show on sexual risk or responsibility concerns. These odds tell the story of many missed opportunities to increase the visibility of…public health concerns. [Emphasis added]

References

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2005). Sex on TV 4. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Sex-on-TV-4-Executive-Summary.pdf on January 2, 2007.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2005). Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-18 year-olds. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Generation-M-Media-in-the-Lives-of-8-18-Year-olds-Report.pdf on January 2, 2007.