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Parents Television Council - Because Our Children Are Watching

 

What Are Your Children Watching?

Research on sex, violence, and profanity on Television

Rating the Top 20 Most Popular Prime Time Broadcast TV Shows Watched by Children Ages 2-17

Not all children ages 2-17 watch age-appropriate programs, according to Nielsen Media Research. Television shows that might sound innocent enough, such as Family Guy or American Dad, push the limits of decency with sexual innuendo and adult themes. On the other hand, children also flock to TV shows with positive values, like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and American Idol. Using its trademarked traffic-light ratings system, the Parents Television Council analyzed the twenty most popular prime time broadcast shows among children ages 2-17, ranking the programs according to their suitability for young viewers.

Each series was rated as suitable, questionably suitable, or unsuitable for young audiences, and then ranked from best to worst.

PTC ratings are based on an objective quantitative and qualitative analysis of the frequency and explicitness of foul language, sexual content, and violence present in each series. The PTC also takes into consideration time slot, target audience, themes and plotlines of each program it rates. (Read the full report.)

 

Most Suitable

(Best to Worst)

Questionably Suitable

(Best to Worst)

Not Suitable

(Best to Worst)

 

1. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

ABC/8:00 p.m. ET Sundays

 

2.  Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Fox/8:00 p.m. ET Fridays

3.  Don’t Forget the Lyrics

Fox/9:00 p.m. ET Fridays

 

4. Deal or No Deal

NBC/8:00 p.m. ET Wednesdays and Fridays

 

5. NBC Sunday Night Football

NBC/8:00 p.m. ET Sundays

 

6. American Idol

Fox/Returning Spring ‘09

 

7. Dancing with the Stars

ABC/8:00 p.m. ET Mondays, 9:00 p.m. ET Tuesdays

 

8. So You Think You Can Dance

Fox/Returning Spring ‘09

 

9. America's Got Talent

NBC/Returning Summer '09

 

10. Amazing Race

CBS/8:00 p.m. ET Sundays

 

11. Survivor

CBS/8:00 p.m. ET Thursdays

 

12. King of the Hill

Fox/8:30 p.m. ET Sundays

 

13. The Simpsons

Fox/8:00 p.m. ET Sundays

 

14. American Gladiator

NBC/Returning Summer '09

 

 

15. Hell's Kitchen

Fox/Returning Spring '09

 

16. House

Fox/8:00 p.m. ET Tuesdays

 

17. Heroes

NBC/9:00 p.m. ET Mondays

 

18. Moment of Truth

Fox/Returning Spring '09

 

19. American Dad

Fox/9:30 p.m. ET Sundays

 

20. Family Guy

Fox/9:00 p.m. ET Sundays

 

 

 

► To view the full study and read the expanded reviews of these shows, Click Here.

 

 

 

Top 10 Best and Worst Shows for family viewing on prime time broadcast TV

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org

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