Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 28, 1994 TAG: 9412280050
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES HANNAH ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: DAYTON, OHIO LENGTH: Long
University of Dayton researchers who studied prime-time situation comedies on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in 1990 said 40 percent of the sexual behavior they saw amounted to sexual harassment.
``We were very surprised to discover there is a good deal of sexual harassment on television,'' said Thomas Skill, an associate professor of communications at the private, Catholic university.
``More importantly, it is presented in such a way to make it seem acceptable.''
All four networks declined to comment on the study.
Some of the examples of harassment documented by Skill, associate professor James Robinson and graduate student Colleen Kinsella:
``Roseanne'' (ABC): A man in a bar is discussing his conquest of women. Another man responds ``While you're getting your car washed, you might as well get the hot wax, right?''
``Murphy Brown'' (CBS): Murphy retaliates in kind to a group of construction workers who verbally sexually harass her.
``Wings'' (NBC): A policewoman yells at a male character, ``Hey, sugar buns. Move it along.''
``Married ... With Children'' (Fox): Bud approaches a female model at a car show and says: ``Excuse me. I couldn't help but notice you undressing me with your eyes. How would you like to hear my recipe for a love cocktail - one cup of you, two cups of me, put it to a boil and serve while hot.'' The model rejects him, saying: ``I'll let you touch my hair if you go away and leave me alone.''
Shows that consistently portray ``sexual harassment as humorous, prime-time situation comedies ... distort, minimize and misrepresent the seriousness'' of such behavior, the study concluded.
The researchers based their findings on a legal definition of sexual harassment: Unwelcome sexual behavior.
They defined sexual behavior as sexual remarks, looks and gestures; kissing, touching or grabbing in a sexual manner; date requests and violations of personal space.
``In a great proportion of those behaviors, they were presented humorously,'' said Skill. ``They're saying, `Hey, this is supposed to be funny.'''
The researchers' goal was to gauge the extent of sexual harassment in sitcoms prior to confirmation hearings for then Supreme Court-nominee Clarence Thomas, who was accused of sexual harassment by Professor Anita Hill. Thomas' confirmation after the hearings prompted a national debate over the issue.
They examined 26 randomly selected sitcoms that aired in October and November 1990.
Of 307 sexual behaviors that were identified, 124 - 40 percent - were not welcomed by the recipient. The researchers said 36 percent of the targets of sexual harassment welcomed the behavior, and 24 percent had no visible reaction.
Male characters initiated 68 percent of the incidents; women accounted for 32 percent.
Skill said the behavior was reinforced by laugh tracks and by the lack of consequences for characters who harassed. ``We were really amazed to find that nobody was ever sanctioned or told that they were out of line,'' he said.
Jay Dover, program director for the Center for Media Literacy, doubts that television writers deliberately write sexual harassment into scripts. The Los Angeles-based advocacy group works to teach children how to interpret sex and violence in the media.
``I'm wondering if that is really sexual harassment or that is stereotypes,'' said Dover. ``Sitcoms rely on stereotypical images of men and women to generate laughs.''
Dover said it could be harmful if the sitcoms suggest sexual harassment is funny: ``The problem is, where's the line?
``Where's the line between wanted and unwanted sexual advances? The line is so smeared, so distorted by the comedy element, by the unrealistic situations,'' Dover said.
Ellen Bravo, executive director of Nine to Five, an advocacy group for working women, said sexual remarks outside the workplace do not constitute sexual harassment.
Skill, though, said the point of the study was to determine where people get ideas about sexual harassment. And he said those ideas can be acted upon in the workplace - and at home.
Skill said he plans another study to determine whether the message has changed since 1990.
He suspects harassment is probably less overt these days.
``The environment has changed drastically as of late, and people are saying this is no longer appropriate,'' Skill said. ``All of us are struggling with what are the bounds of good taste now.''
Elsewhere in television ...
THE DISHIES ARE IN: Readers of Satellite TV Week, the programming guide for home satellite dish owners, have picked their favorite series in this year's annual readers' poll. And the ``Dishies'' awards go to:
Best comedy: ABC's ``Home Improvement'' for a third consecutive year, followed by NBC's ``Frasier'' and ``Seinfeld.''
Best Drama: ABC's ``NYPD Blue,'' with CBS' ``Northern Exposure'' a close second and Fox's ``The X-Files'' and ``Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman'' tied for third.
Favorite Daytime Personalities: Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford.
Favorite Late Night Personality: David Letterman, with Rush Limbaugh in second place, just 7 percentage points behind.
by CNB