Parents Television Council

The Parents Television Council (PTC) is a U.S.-based non-profit that opposes the broadcasting of "sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media". [1]

History

The PTC was founded in 1995 as a project of the conservative media watchdog group, the Media Research Center. In August 2000 the PTC was incorporated and the following year the two split to become two separate legal entities. In 2001 the PTC established its headquarters in Los Angeles. Brent Bozell, who founded the MRC, was president of both organisations. In January 2007 he resigned as President of the PTC but remains a member of the board of directors.

Indecency Complaints

Mediaweek reported in December of 2004 that 99.8% of 240,000 complaints made to the FCC complaining about indecency in 2003 originated from members of the Parents Television Council. PTC members are primarily responsible for the over 1,500 percent increase in complaints since 2002 (~14,000 complaints) and the increase of over 65,000 percent since 2001 (~350 complaints). [2]

PTC Settles Case With the Wrestlers

In November of 2000, Media Research Center and Parents Television Council were sued by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) after using unauthorized footage of WWE in a fundraising video and falsely claiming that WWE was incidental in the murders of four children. [3] Additionally, PTC/MRC falsely claimed that various advertisers had pulled their sponsorship from the show. A federal judge reviewing the suit found that the advertisers in question had never sponsored WWE. The WWE alleged 13 instances of defamation, copyright infringement and interference with prospective business relations and sought $55 million in damages.

PTC/MRC moved to dismiss in June 2001, but the motion was rejected. In July of 2002, PTC settled with the WWE out of court for a sum of $3.5 million. [4] President Brent Bozell wrote in a lengthy public statement that "It was wrong to have stated or implied that the WWE or any of its programs caused these tragic deaths." [5]The apology was posted on the PTC website for a period of six months as part of the settlement agreement.

PTC Personnel

Board of Directors

• Brent Bozell
• Leon J. Weil
• Pat Boone
• Philip M. Friedmann (co-founder of Recycled Paper Greetings)
• Robert D. Stuart
• Mark Barnes, Treasurer

Key Staff

• Tim Winter, PTC President
• Melissa Caldwell, Senior Director of Programs
• Dan Isett, Director of Corporate and Government Affairs
• Gavin McKiernan, National Grassroots Director

Funding

In 2005 the PTC, according to its unaudited financial report, had total revenue of just over $4.5 million. [6] (Pdf file).

The foundations that fund the PTC, based on the list in the group's 2005 annual report, are:

• Ackerman Presbyterian Church
• Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
• Cly-Del Manufacturing Company
• Dodge Jones Foundation
• Philip M. Friedmann Family Charitable Trust
• Grover Hermann Foundation
• Hickory Foundation
• The Holloway Family Foundation
• John E. and Sue M. Jackson Charitable Trust
• the Forrest C. Lattner Foundation
• The Schloss Family Foundation
• The Stuart Family Foundation
• Bill and Katie Weaver Charitable Trust
• Gil and Dody Weaver Foundation

Contact Details

707 Wilshire Boulevard #2075
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: 213.629.9255
Toll-Free: 800.882.6868
Fax:213.629.9254
Web: http://www.parentstv.org

Articles and Resources

Related SourceWatch Articles

• Liberal media

External Articles

• WWE Entertainment, "Suit Filed Against L. Brent Bozell III, Media Research Center: Cites Tortious Interference, Product Disparagement, Defamation", Media Release, November 9, 2000.
• WWE Entertainment, "Judge rejects Parents Television Council motion to Dismiss Lawsuit", 'Media Release, May 24, 2001.
• WWE Entertainment, "World Wrestling Entertainment Settles Lawsuit With Parents Television Council: Founder Brent Bozell Issues Apology", Media Release, July 8, 2002.
• WWE Entertainment, "PTC Letter of Apology", July 8, 2002.
• Paul Farhi, "TV Watchdog Apologizes for False Claims On Wrestling", Washington Post, July 9, 2002.
• Todd Shields, "Activists Dominate Content Complaints", Mediaweek, December 6, 2004.
• Parents Television Council, "PTC President Bozell Announces Decision to Step Down and Welcomes Tim Winter as New President", Media Release, September 1, 2006.