Criticism of Family Guy - Moral Controversy - Parents Television Council

Parents Television Council

The Parents Television Council, a non-profit watchdog group, has published critical views of Family Guy. In May 2000, in its weekly "E-Alert" email newsletter, the PTC launched a letter-writing campaign to the Fox network to persuade the network to cancel Family Guy following a return from a long hiatus in the show's second season, due to what the PTC claimed were "strong advertiser resistance and low ratings".

Family Guy made the PTC's 2000, 2005, and 2006 lists of "worst prime-time shows for family viewing", with over thirty Family Guy episodes having been chosen as "Worst TV Show of the Week" for reasons of profanity, animated nudity and violence. The Council has cautioned parents that children will be attracted by the show because of its animated format while asserting that the series is suitable only for adults. Family Guy was also named the worst show of the 2006–2007 season by the PTC. The PTC has also objected to Fox scheduling Family Guy during early primetime hours due to their concerns of children being likely to watch the series.

Additionally, the PTC, which has generated most of the indecency complaints received by the United States Federal Communications Commission, has twice filed formal FCC complaints about Family Guy. The first indecency complaint, following the January 2005 rebroadcast of "And the Wiener Is...", was denied by the FCC on the grounds "that because of the absence of explicit or graphic descriptions or depictions of any sexual organ, along with the absence of shocking, pandering, and/or titillating effect, the episode ... is not patently offensive." In November 2005, during "sweeps" period for the 2005–2006 television season, the Parents Television Council launched a campaign for its members to file indecency complaints to the FCC for "PTV", the Family Guy episode that satirized the FCC, for its sexually explicit humor. However, the PTC had expressed doubt over whether they would formally complain to the FCC over that episode; the PTC has not logged any complaints filed through their website. In fact, that episode was highlighted in the Fox special TV's Funniest Moments that was broadcast on June 1, 2007; a rerun of the program on August 20 that year was named "Worst of the Week" by the PTC, noting that "PTV" was among the highlights in the special. On March 11, 2009, PTC filed complaints about the episode "Family Gay" over claims that the episode contained sexual content in violation of indecency law. Then on December 15, 2009, PTC filed an indecency complaint about the episode "Business Guy" two days after its airdate, citing a scene including a lap dance as a possible violation of federal law regarding broadcast decency. In 2010, PTC filed a complaint against the 150th episode of Family Guy, "Brian and Stewie", taking offense at excretory references. PTC president Tim Winter said: "It seems as though Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane, carefully reviewed the legal definition of broadcast indecency and set out to violate it as literally as he could."

The PTC has also accused Fox of failing to include "S" (sexual content) and "V" (violence) descriptors in content ratings for some Family Guy episodes. Additionally, the Council has asked Family Guy sponsors such as Wrigley Company and Burger King, among others to stop advertising for the show and has frequently accused the Fox network of marketing the show to children.

Family Guy executive producer David Goodman responded to the PTC's criticisms by claiming that Family Guy is "absolutely for teenagers and adults" and he does not allow his two children to watch the show.