It seems that teen pregnancy is on the rise again and we’ve got the media to thank once again. Monday, November 3, ABC Eyewitness News presented statistics regarding the rise in teenage pregnancy in correlation with sex on TV. The newscast detailed that “sexy shows” have highly affected teen pregnancy. Several studies have been administered regarding teen pregnancy and the media. Results have surfaced depicting that frequently viewing sex on TV may influence teens to engage in sexual behavior as adolescents.

Television has the power to bring people together. Viewers are often presented with a portrait of society. Although fictional, there are several important aspects of TV that tend to inform, at times persuade and influence audiences. If the media displays only the positive side of sexual activities in TV shows, without presenting the risks and consequences, teen viewers may end up having unprotected sex before they’re ready to take on responsibility and make well informed decisions.

While the media has quite an impact on today’s society, it is not designed to serve as sole educator. If sex ed classes are not offered in every school and not all parents are discussing sex with their children, does this leave the media to represent sexual education? What happened to parents censoring what their children watch on TV? Media depictions of today should not have to hold back on sexual discussions or behavior when the intended audience consists of adults who are most likely already sexually active.

Sex should not be viewed as a negative image in the media. Parents need to raise their children more. Perhaps parents can watch some of these “sexy shows” with their teens and have an in depth discussion about the content each episode. Children should not be watching shows such as One Tree Hill, Sex and the City, Friends or Gossip Girl. The target audiences of these considerably risqué shows is 18-49.

Sex Therapist, Dr. Laura Berman stated in the Chicago Sun Times, “Right now the United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate of any developed nation. Although this teen pregnancy rate has decreased dramatically since the 1970s, recent years have seen that rate become stagnant. Indeed, as of 2004, 13 states experienced either an increase in teen birth rates or stagnant teen birth rates, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data also showed that one in seven girls who are 14 and younger will experience an unintended pregnancy, and one in three women will have an unintended pregnancy by age 20.” Media effects play a role, but are not the defining link.

In mass communication and media speak, television is considered a cold medium. TV depicts the height of participation or reaction of interpretation of messages by audiences. It is detailed in teen pregnancy studies that teens take messages from society and reflect them in their personal lives. It seems as though the media is more influential than parents of today. Parents need to serve as role models and possibly heroes to their children, not the fantasy images displayed in characters on TV.

Pop culture does not define role models. In Childhood Education’s “Parents or Pop-Culture,” Kristen Anderson emphasizes that “parents and educators must take pains to expose children to wider variety of potential role models than popular culture does.”

Correlating the rise in teen pregnancy with suggestive television shows expresses that if there wasn’t so much sexual behavior and language on TV, teen pregnancy would not be such an issue. Such an example can be related to many effects of the media. Cultural messages begin at young ages in the shaping process of identity, character and self-image.

If fictional sexual behavior portrayals in entertainment programs are going to account for amplified teen pregnancy, the media will also need to account for fictional violent portrayals. Individuals receive views of violence via mass media. For instance, many attribute violence and aggression to TV violence, conveying that if there wasn’t so much TV violence, our society wouldn’t have as much crime, aggression and violence. While media effects on teen pregnancy and the association between violence in the media represent different meanings, they both influence the youth of today and project cultural messages.

In the Journal of Sex Research, Dale Kunkel highlights, “sexual content is a common, if not prevalent, aspect of the overall television landscape. Portrayals of talk about sex, as well as sexually-related behaviors, are a potential source of socialization for most young viewers. Although most sexual behaviors shown on television are relatively modest, intercourse is frequently included. Collectively, these sexual messages provide an opportunity for the television industry to communicate an important and realistic view of the true risks associated with human sexual activity.”

Sexual portrayals in the media influence its audience and the depictions are not going away; sexual content on TV will not disperse. In other words there are always going to be TV shows about romantic relationships and with this comes sexual innuendoes, sexual behavior and at times risqué material. Enter parents and educators once again. Attitudes in the media can predetermine real life actions and possible mistakes, but only if people let it! Responsibility and risk concerns accompany several “sexy shows” and serve as a warning within its cultural message!