'Sons Of Anarchy' pushed the boundaries of sexual exploits on basic cable in its latest episode. The Parents Television Council is pushing back, outraged by the explicit content usually reserved for premium cable channels.
"It's official: In order to watch cable news, ESPN, Disney or the History Channel, every family in America must now also pay for pornography on FX," PTC President Tim Winter said. "Last week's episode of 'Sons of Anarchy' opened with the most sexually explitic content we've ever seen on basic cable, content normally found on premium subscription networks like HBO or Showtime."
The PTC described the two-and-a-half minute sequence that kicked off the Nov. 11 episode and depicted seven consensual couples in various sexual positions as "HBO-caliber pornography." FX airs "Sons of Anarchy" at 10 p.m., but episodes air at 9 p.m. in central time zones, a time when families and children might still be watching TV.
The PTC used this example as reason for the FCC to allow an a la carte option for cable subscribers as opposed to the bundling practice that dominates American cable options. A la carte pay television would allow subscribers to pay for only the channels they want to watch.
"Families should not be forced to underwrite pornography. Cable choice is a solution whose time has come, and there could hardly be a better example of it than this," Winter said. "We call on Congress, the FCC and the federal courts to give cable consumers real choice when it comes to deciding which networks they actually want to purchase."
Basic cable channels like FX and AMC may cease to exist if cable companies switched to the a la carte system. The PTC might like to see those channels go, but the system could also prove fatal for family channels such as Hallmark, TLC or Disney and Nickelodeon spin-off channels.
In the meantime, the PTC fears if FX can carry the kind of content shown on "Sons of Anarchy" last week, then other channels will follow suit to stay competitive. Other than banning the content altogether, the organization wants these channels to become premium networks.
"But they won't, because the cartel-like leverage they currently enjoy is too lucrative," Winter said. "And if history is our guide, we should expect a host of other basic cable networks to air similar - or even more explicit - content in the name of 'staying competitive.'"
"Sons of Anarchy" will air three more episodes before the series wraps its final season on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
