GROUP CHARGES MTV’S SKINS AMOUNTS TO “KIDDIE PORN”

Claiming that the new MTV series Skins amounts to “kiddie porn,” the head of the Media Research Center, which operates the watchdog group Parents Television Council, has called upon the Justice Department to determine whether it violates U.S. statutes on child pornography. In an interview with Fox News commentator Sean Hannity on Thursday, MRC chief Brent Bozell said, “They are in trouble. They’ve crossed the line in the way no TV show to my memory has ever crossed the line.” On Wednesday the New York Times reported that even MTV executives were concerned about some of the show’s content, especially an upcoming episode in which a teenager is shown from behind running down a street naked. Said Bozell: “They could be responsible for a federal crime here. This is serious.” When Hannity suggested that it was all an effort to stir up controversy and thereby gain publicity and subsequent ratings, Bozell agreed. Even though it airs late at night and is rated for “mature” audiences, he said, “they know they are going to get children to come. They know they’re going to get youngsters to watch this. I mean, this is the decadence of MTV.” (Monday’s episode attracted 3.3 million viewers.) On Sunday, Taco Bell yanked its ads from Skins and asked MTV to place them elsewhere on its schedule.