The Learning Channel (TLC) network raised a lot of eyebrows after it cancelled the Christian reality show "19 Kids and Counting" a few months back only to replace it with a show entitled "Sex in Public," scheduled to air on Friday, Oct. 2.
Despite its questionable title, "Sex in Public" is actually not as controversial as it sounds. In a press release, the TLC Network said it's a show that follows therapist Jill Dictrow as she attempts "to get real people to open up about the good, the bad, and the un-sexy when it comes to their personal lives."
"'Sex in Public' is more than just talking about sex—it's about helping people who are too shy, too nervous, or too embarrassed to go to a friend, relative, or even a therapist to seek help on their relationships," they added.
However, the Parents Television Council (PTC) still does not see it as acceptable programming and has already urged TLC to reconsider their plans to air the show.
"TLC once stood for The Learning Channel, but today it stands for Totally Ludicrous Content. Sadly, this once-noble programmer is the latest in a string of basic cable networks using provocative titles and explicit content in a desperate move to attract attention. And because TLC is part of the cable network bundle, it can use its unfair business leverage to force every cable subscriber in the country to pay for its explicit content, whether subscribers want it or not," said PTC President Tim Winter.
Should TLC still push through with the show, Winter said it's up to the viewers and possible advertisers not to patronise the show.
"We are urging advertisers to steer clear of 'Sex in Public' and other TLC shows that are clearly designed to shock and accelerate TLC's apparent goal of pandering to the lowest common denominator. And we are calling on TLC to issue a refund to the 99.95 percent of cable subscribers in America who don't want to watch—or pay for—a program like 'Sex in Public,'" added Winter.
