http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2012/08/utah_tv_new_normal_nbc_mormon_gay_couple.html

Quote :

Utah TV station refuses to air NBC's new show about gay couple
Published: Tuesday, August 28, 2012, 8:41 AM



This image released by NBC shows Andrew Rannells as Bryan, left, and "The Hangover" actor Justin Bartha as David in a scene from "The New Normal," premiering Sept. 11, 2012 at 9:30 p.m. EST on NBC.


SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Mormon church-owned NBC affiliate in Utah won't air an upcoming sitcom about a gay couple that invites a surrogate mother into their home as they try to have a baby because the station deems the content inappropriate for its audience.

"The New Normal" is set to debut Sept. 11 on NBC.

"For our brand, this program simply feels inappropriate on several dimensions, especially during family viewing time," Jeff Simpson, CEO of KSL's parent company, Bonneville International, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a statement.

"The dialogue is excessively rude and crude; the scenes are too explicit and the stereotypes are offensive on all sides," Simpson added.

NBC defended the program, noting it makes "a statement about the changing definition of the nuclear family."

"The show is against bigotry and hatred in every form and will make that point whenever characters say outrageous or unacceptable things about race, religion, sexual identity, disability, or tolerance of people outside the definitions of 'normal,'" the network said in a statement Monday.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation sharply criticized KSL's decision.

"Same-sex families are a beloved part of American television thanks to shows like Modern Family, Glee and Grey's Anatomy," GLAAD President Herndon Graddick said. "While audiences, critics and advertisers have all supported LGBT stories, KSL is demonstrating how deeply out of touch it is with the rest of the country."

KSL immediately took issue with the criticism on Monday, noting its decision to pull the show is wrongly "being reduced to a single issue."

"KSL did not cancel this show because it features gay characters," the station said in a statement. "We have viewed the pilot and this program contains sexually explicit content, demeaning dialogue and inciting stereotypes."

Over the years, KSL has deemed several other shows inappropriate for its viewers, including "Saturday Night Live," which instead airs on Salt Lake City's KUCW.

Last year, the station declined to air the short-lived 1960s period drama "The Playboy Club," noting it, too, was inappropriate material for its audience.

In 2002, KSL decided not to broadcast an episode of the "Tonight" show because it was set to feature the creators of a stage act called "Puppetry of the Penis."

A year later, KSL joined WNDU-TV, the NBC affiliate owned by the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., in declining to air the short-lived new sitcom, "Coupling." The show was a remake of a BBC sitcom focusing on the sex lives of a group of friends.

The university-owned station noted at the time that the show's sexual jokes "push the envelope well beyond the boundaries of our community's standards."

KSL officials said their decision came after a barrage of Utah viewer complaints over network promotions for the show.

Bonneville International, KSL's parent company, also owns radio stations in Los Angeles, Seattle and Phoenix.

They've refused to air a lot of things bless their hearts. If they keep refusing to air network programming they'll reach the point where they will eventually lose their affiliation with the network. Sounds like they need to be a churchy type channel or air Hallmark type shows.

Not at all surprising considering. NBC should look for another station to be an affiliate in that market, one that ISN'T owned by a church.

I'm sure they will fill its timeslot with reruns of more moral shows, such as Big Love or Sister Wives.

I guess they fear gay is catchy?

Their business, their decision. I don't live in Utah. I'll get involved when some vocal faction where I live tries to have something taken off the air because of their "moral" beliefs. Instead of just changing the channel on their own TVs.

Oh darn. If this show tanks, it'll be all this affiliate's fault.

When will people realize that censorship is harder to pull off in a world with the internet? Their viewers will still see the show. They are just giving the show free publicity and looking like fools in the process.

is it really censorship? or is it catering to their own audience? Mormons make up 60% of the state.... since their birth rate is over 25% higher there, i bet yasmin and trojan ads do terribly LOL... they are probably outlawed too.

Nhaiyel wrote:

I'm sure they will fill its timeslot with reruns of more moral shows, such as Big Love or Sister Wives.

It's Utah.

Nhaiyel wrote:

I'm sure they will fill its timeslot with reruns of more moral shows, such as Big Love or Sister Wives.

Ha Ha! Best post, Nhaiyel!

I don't know why they bother being an affiliate in the first place.

Let them air, or not air, what they want. It's not as if it is a major market for, well...anything!

RedBedroom wrote:

Let them air, or not air, what they want. It's not as if it is a major market for, well...anything!

Point is, they are an affiliate. They should be airing what NBC airs. If I were NBC, I'd get rid of them and get a station that's willing to air NBC stuff without drama.

tmontyb wrote:

Point is, they are an affiliate. They should be airing what NBC airs. If I were NBC, I'd get rid of them and get a station that's willing to air NBC stuff without drama.

NBC must love this free publicity for the show.

tmontyb wrote:

Point is, they are an affiliate. They should be airing what NBC airs. If I were NBC, I'd get rid of them and get a station that's willing to air NBC stuff without drama.

If they want to be an independent station I'm sure that could be arranged. Then they could do reruns of The Beverly Hillbillies, Full House & The Flying Nun.

RedBedroom wrote:

NBC must love this free publicity for the show.

You know I'm usually on top of these things but I don't watch a lot of tv & hadn't heard about this one. Guess I'll have to check it out.

My aunt lived just over the border from Utah, she was the only non-Mormon in the town and believe me every thing was censored. The only books and magazines in the town were Harlequin romances and true love stories and celebrity news. The mens were mainly hunting and fishing magazines.It appeared that any thing that might make people think were forbidden.She said the people in town were all descendents of the people who killed the settlers in the Mountain Meadows massacre.

Just watched the pilot. This is actually very cute. Plan to watch it on the 11th. It may not win any Emmys (so few shows I like do lol) but it's not going to cause the downfall of civilization either. It seems very...sweet.