Editorial: Shameless networks

Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004 | 9:03 a.m.

This week's ABC "Monday Night Football" telecast opened with a steamy skit involving Philadelphia Eagles player Terrell Owens and a female star from the network's popular show "Desperate Housewives." Nicollette Sheridan was in the Eagles' locker room during the scene, wearing only a towel that dropped to the floor as she jumped into the arms of Owens. Viewers didn't see Sheridan completely nude -- the camera showed her from behind, from the waist up -- but she did make sexually suggestive comments.

ABC, after receiving criticism for airing the segment, subsequently apologized. Still, it's incredible that a broadcast network -- after the fallout when one of Janet Jackson's breasts was exposed Feb. 1 during CBS' Super Bowl halftime show -- would knowingly push the envelope of decency again. The only possible reason is that the executives at ABC are arrogantly consumed by the "sex sells" mentality. This is inexplicable, however, for a network owned by the Walt Disney Co., which built its reputation on family entertainment.

Arrogance and a shortage of values at ABC and other networks have stoked outrage around the country -- in blue states as well as red states. And for those out there who might think these incidents are symbolic of some kind of liberal, anything-goes bent by the three major networks, Fox and the other smaller networks are just as culpable. As the New York Times' Frank Rich noted in his column last Sunday, it was the Fox reality show "Married by America" that received the largest fine ever from the Federal Communications Commission for indeceny -- $1.2 million. It's not just the networks that are guilty of excess, though. Sexually suggestive ads promoting strip clubs have been run by Las Vegas television stations during the course of football games, even during daytime on weekends.

Networks should exercise better judgment, broadcasting later at night those shows or ads with adult content in them, a policy that would reduce the likelihood of children seeing them. Parents shouldn't have to sit nervously on the edge of the couch, with their trigger finger on the remote, ready to quickly switch to another channel just in case something offensive appears.