MTV’s ‘Skins’: Kiddie Porn or Real Life for Teens?

MTV’s new hit show “Skins” is meant to push boundaries.  But the Parents Television Council is saying the show may be child pornography and they are asking Congress to investigate. The scripted show features real teenagers - ages 15 to 19 - drinking, taking drugs, and having sex.   Executives at MTV are apparently worried enough that they asked the show producers to tone down some explicit content, especially in episode #3, which is set to air on January 31, according to the New York Times. "The Today Show" takes a look at the developing controversy. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

TV Shows Sexualize Images of Teenage Girls, Study Says

Television shows are featuring teenage girls involved in sexual situations a lot more often than adult women.  

Out of the sexual incidents young girls were portrayed in, 98 percent of them occurred outside of a committed relationship and 73 percent were presented in a humorous manner, such as a punch line to a joke. This data comes from a study conducted by the Parents Television Council. The study, called Sexualized Teen Girls: Tinseltown’s New Target, looked at the top 25 primetime shows aimed at teenagers in the 2009-2010 season. The study targets popular shows such as Glee, Gossip Girl and 90210.