Reviews were middling for MTV’s “Skins,” yet it looks like the show’s content was a bit too provocative for some.
As an advertiser pulls away from associating its product with the program and the Parents Television Council calls for Congress and the Justice Department to investigate "Skins" for possible child pornography, it seems even some of the network's executives are worried that the show is airing too much.
“Skins” is filled with a cast of lesser known actors ranging in age from 15 to 19, the New York Times reports, and of course, anyone under 18 is considered a minor. Given the young ages of the show’s stars and the risqué content, the paper says some MTV execs are concerned about violating federal child pornography laws, and have ordered producers to implement changes that would tone "Skins" down.
But a rep for MTV told CNN that the network has already done its due diligence to make sure they were steering clear of the law.
“’Skins’ is a show that addresses real-world issues confronting teens in a frank way. We review all of our shows and work with all of our producers on an ongoing basis to ensure our shows comply with laws and community standards,” the MTV rep said. “We are confident that the episodes of ‘Skins’ will not only comply with all applicable legal requirements, but also with our responsibilities to our viewers.”
According to the Times, the show – which had 3.3 million tune in to its premiere at 10 p.m. ET on Monday – had 1.2 million under the age of 18 watching the TV-MA program. (A TV-MA ratings means the show contains content that may be inappropriate for those under the age of 17.)
Yet MTV says they’ve also worked hard to make it crystal clear that “Skins” is very, very far from “Sesame Street.”
“We also have taken numerous steps to alert viewers to the strong subject matter so that they can choose for themselves whether it is appropriate,” the network's rep said.
Taco Bell, meanwhile, has issued a statement confirming that the fast food chain is opting to keep its fare away from “Skins.”
“We advertise on a variety of MTV programs that reach our core demographic of 18 to 34 year olds, which included the premiere episode of ‘Skins,’” a rep for Taco Bell told CNN in a statement. “Upon further review, we’ve decided that the show is not a fit for our brand and have moved our advertising to other MTV programming.”