Bozell: Why Do CBS and Fox Have Moral Standards on Ads, But Not Programs?

Brent Bozell's culture column this week praises CBS and Fox for deciding not to accept ads for Trojan condoms that demeaned men as pigs until they miraculously purchased Trojans in the bathroom and transformed themselves into hunks. But why, he asked, would they have some broadcast standards on controversial sexual matter on commercials, and then air programs that are much more salacious (or profane)?

Since CBS and Fox have accepted Trojan ads before, Brent wondered if there weren't non-moral reasons for rejecting the ads: "It’s possible that two networks rejected this ad not because it was too sexual, but it’s too sexist – against men. Can you imagine the makers of female contraception casting women as farm animals because they haven’t gone on The Pill?"

Concerned Women for America has the YouTube link. Just before that question, he underscored how CBS and Fox look hypocritical:

In a letter to the Times, Vanessa Cullins, the vice president for medical affairs at the Planned Parenthood lobby, protested. “Fox and CBS have been taking sex to the bank with shows like ‘Temptation Island’ and ‘The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.’ To reject these condoms ads is the height of hypocrisy and irresponsible programming.”

While no one would categorize Planned Parenthood as a lobby against sexually explicit TV, they’re right that the hypocrisy is obvious. CBS and Fox entertainment programming has been far more sexually explicit than these commercials. Fox had an entire series (“Skin”) based on the pornography industry. CBS is not only infamous for its breast-exposing Super Bowl halftime show, but for following that up with an teen-orgy scene on “Without a Trace,” which show was formally cited as “indecent” (ya think?) by the FCC, and which show was re-aired and aired yet again in reruns with the CBS middle finger flying in the face of that agency.

CBS also looks hypocritical given that in 2003, when it was still owned by Viacom, along with its sister network UPN it ran a series of condom-promoting scenes within its sitcoms as part of an AIDS-education initiative with the Kaiser Family Foundation. The Kaiser Foundation folks apparently believe that sex scenes on broadcast television during prime-time are acceptable -- as long as the condom-education message is present.

In the New York Times article on these ads, they underscore what I find offensive about the ads: that men have to "evolve" from animals into condom users. Are men and women trying to have a baby, are they pigs? Are Roman Catholics who forego condoms to follow church teaching pigs? Trojan's vice president for marketing suggests yes:

“The ‘Evolve’ ad does a nice job of being humorous, but it’s also a serious call to action,” Mr. Daniels said. “The pigs are a symbol of irresponsible sexual behavior, and are juxtaposed with the condom as a responsible symbol of respect for oneself and one’s partner.”