Rasmussen Poll: Too Much Indecency On TV

In the age of slick sitcoms, reality shows and cable television, 57% of American adults think there is too much inappropriate content on television and radio.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that just 31% disagree, and another 12% are not sure.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) say the biggest problem on TV is violence, while nearly as many (36%) say it's sexual content. Nine percent (9%) say profanity is the biggest problem area.

Attitudes have changed somewhat in the last few years. In June 2007, Americans were very concerned with sexual content and profanity on television, but the concern with profanity seems to have waned.

Americans are closely divided when asked who is responsible for the level of objectionable content on television, but they blame TV viewers the most. Twenty-nine percent (29%) feel those who watch programs with objectionable content are most responsible. Twenty-five percent (25%) say the makers of the TV shows are primarily responsible, while another 25% hold the television networks chiefly to blame. Just nine percent (9%) blame the advertisers of the programs.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 27-28, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of adults say they watch television every day or nearly every day. But only eight percent (8%) say they rarely or never watch television.
Older Americans watch television more regularly than those who are younger.

Women and married adults are more likely than men and unmarrieds to think there is too much inappropriate content on television.

Those with children in the home are slightly more likely to think TV has too much inappropriate content than those without children living with them

Just over half of African-Americans feel sexual content is the biggest problem on TV, while whites and adults of other ethnicities tend to feel violence is the biggest problem.

Americans are concerned about violent video games, too, with over half who say they lead to more violence in society.