Sexuality in TV SHOWS

PRESENCE OF SEXUAL MESSAGES
There are two primary types of portrayals involving sex examined in this report: talk about sex, and physical behavior. Both types of portrayals hold the potential to influence viewers’ beliefs and attitudes about sexual issues. The first statistics are about the proportion of all programs containing messages about sex.
More than half (56%) of all television show contain some sexual content. A total of 39% of all programs studied contain one or more scenes with a substantial emphasis on sex. Rather, across all 528 programs with any sexual content, there is an average of 3.2 scenes per hour involving sex. Clearly, sexual talk and behaviors are a common element in television programming, and many shows that include sexual messages devote substantial attention to the topic. Most scenes involving talk had a substantial focus on sexual themes and topics.
23% of programs in the sample that contained sexual behavior, roughly two-thirds of these shows (16% of programs overall) contained precursory behaviors only, while roughly one-third (7% of programs overall) either depicted sexual intercourse actually occurring or strongly implied it was about to occur or had just occurred between two partners.
The degree of explicitness associated with the portrayal of sexual behaviors was also analyzed. Explicitness was measured on a four-point scale encompassing provocative dress, some disrobing, discreet nudity, and nudity. Across all programs including any sexual behavior, the average level of explicitness was very low. The difference in explicitness between programs with precursory behaviors only and programs with sexual intercourse is substantial, although the level of explicitness for the latter group is still rela...

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...t sex, three fourths (75%) of network prime-time comedies include such material.
One of the most impressive findings for prime-time is that nearly one out of every four network drama series (23%) that include sexual material also address some issue concerning sexual risks or responsibilities at some point within the show. This compares with only 5% of dramas that include such topics elsewhere on television. Similarly, prime-time programs classified as “reality” included issues regarding sexual risks and responsibilities in 22% of all shows with any sexual content. This compares favorably to a 16% level that was found in the same type of programs in the overall composite sample.
While prime-time offers slightly more treatment of issues concerning sexual risks and responsibilities than does television programming overall, the margin of difference is a very small one.