Issues@Hand
AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs
August 1994 – ABC has decided to renew their softcore pornographic series NYPD Blue. The decision to renew came despite estimated losses of potential advertising revenue of $17-20 million. Concerned advertisers stayed away from the program because of the pornography, obscene language and graphic violence during the initial season. As a result, many spots went unsold and the time that was sold went at rates as low as 10¢ on the dollar.
A record 59 ABC affiliates refused to carry the program on their local stations. Some of these stations later began carrying the program, but more than 40 did not. Because of viewer protest over the pornographic content, many of those same affiliates are refusing to carry the program during the upcoming season. Reports say that ABC will make the nude sex scenes and violence more graphic this season and will increase the obscene language in an effort to compete with “adult” programming on the cable channels.
ABC Entertainment President Ted Harbert, has been begging advertisers to support the show. In a speech in New York, ABC President Bob Iger patted himself on the back for having the “guts” to air the pornographic series.
Chairman Thomas Murphy of Capital Cities/ABC refused to answer a question by Reed Irvine on the losses ABC is taking on the program. Irvine asked: “Is it costing you money? Is it losing money? And, is it worth it?”
Murphy “hemmed and hawed. He praised NYPD Blue for attracting a loyal audience and winning many entertainment awards.... ‘Obviously, Rev. Wildmon has caused some advertisers to be reluctant to advertise on it, but I won’t comment on the financial aspects of it.’”
Irvine asked: “You’re not going to tell us shareholders whether we’re losing money on it?”
Murphy: “Whatever it would be, one way or the other, it would not be significant enough to hold it back.”
ABC has not denied that they lost approximately $17-20 million on the program.
AFA has asked their supporters to call and write their local ABC affiliates asking that they not show NYPD Blue for the new season. “We must show ABC and their affiliates that we believe in our family and children as much as they believe in promoting pornography, violence and profanity on TV,” said Donald E. Wildmon, AFA president. “ABC has shown they clearly intend to try to reshape the morals in America to accept pornography on TV. The danger is that those who care about their children and families aren’t as committed to keeping pornography off the networks as ABC and the advertisers are to putting it on,” Wildmon said.
AFA has mailed to their supporters petitions to gain community support opposing the program. Additional copies are available from AFA.
ABC’s Harbert showed the true intent of ABC when he admitted that the show did not need the nude sex and profanity. They put it in to make such behavior more acceptable to the viewers, including children and families.
David Caruso, one of the leading characters on NYPD Blue whom ABC lifts up as a role model, recently told First magazine that he got his first big break in acting by lying. He said he made up a resumé and gave it to an agent. He also said he doesn’t let his daughter Greta watch the porn program. He told the magazine that he never votes because he doesn’t believe in the political system. Caruso has been married twice and now lives with his girl friend.
Leading sponsors of NYPD Blue last season were
■ Unilever (Lipton tea)
TOLL FREE: 1-800-598-1223
■ Warner Lambert (Listerine)
TOLL FREE: 1-800-223-0182
■ American Express
TOLL FREE: 1-800-528-4800
■ Volkswagen (call your local dealer)
TOLL FREE: 1-800-822-8987. 
