Calling the message the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) sent Sunday night “unacceptable,” the Parents Television Council issued a blistering statement calling out MTV for its content Monday.
“This much is absolutely clear: MTV marketed adults-only material to children while falsely manipulating the content rating to make parents think the content was safe for their children,” PTC director of public policy Dan Isett said in a statement.
“MTV continues to sexually exploit young women by promoting acts that incorporate ‘twerking’ in a nude-colored bikini. How is this image of former child star Miley Cyrus appropriate for 14-year-olds?” Isett added, going on to voice outrage at Lady Gaga’s bikini, a condom commercial and R-rated movie ad during the first commercial break.
PTC advisory board member and former BET executive Paul Porter, added that Cyrus and Robin Thicke’s “simply substituted talent with sex.”
“Viacom has a set of corporate broadcast standards that were obviously broken in this case for financial gain. While the performance was shocking to the audience, MTV approved it during the show run prior to the broadcast,” he continued. “Heads should roll at MTV.”
In an interesting plot twist, Cyrus’ father, Billy Ray Cyrus serves on PTC’s advisory board.
Melissa Henson, PTC’s grassroots director, confirmed to The Daily Caller that the elder Cyrus is still on the advisory board, after joining during his period acting on the medical series “Doc.”
She noted that the PTC is “proud” to have Cyrus on the advisory board and that the PTC’s statement was directed at MTV, not Miley Cyrus.
“This really isn’t about Billy Ray, it’s about his daughter and actually it isn’t even about his daughter, it’s about MTV,” Henson told TheDC. “I am a little concerned that everyone is heaping this on Miley — and that’s not to say she’s not responsible for her performance, but MTV is the common thread.”
“I think we need to talking a little bit more about MTV and a little bit less about the performers,” Henson added.
The PTV is additionally encouraging Congress to pass the Television Consumer Freedom Act, which would allow television providers to offer channels on an a la carte basis rather than a required package of programming.