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maleficent · 11-17-2004, 08:03 PM

ABC apologizes for tease in Eagles locker room

By DAVID BARRON
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Desperate Housewives?

Try desperate programmers.

ABC apologized Tuesday for beginning this week's Monday Night Football telecast with a tease sequence in which Nicolette Sheridan, star of ABC's top-rated domestic drama, attempted to seduce Philadelphia Eagles receiver Terrell Owens into skipping the Eagles-Cowboys game.

The sequence, taped Friday by ABC at the Eagles locker room, ended with Sheridan, clad only in a towel, dropping the towel. Owens replied, "Aw, hell. The team's going to have to win this one without me" as Sheridan jumped into his arms.

In real life, Owens caught three touchdowns as the Eagles beat the Cowboys 49-21. On Tuesday, the NFL said the league and its fans were the real losers.

"ABC's opening was inappropriate and unsuitable for our Monday Night Football audience," the league said in a statement. "While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost.

Today, the nation's chief media regulator expressed disappointment over the segment.

"I wonder if Walt Disney would be proud," said Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

Powell questioned the judgment of those who decided to air the scene.

"It would seem to me that while we get a lot of broadcasting companies complaining about indecency enforcement, they seem to be continuing to be willing to keep the issue at the forefront, keep it hot and steamy in order to get financial gains and the free advertising it provides," Powell said during an interview on CNBC.

An FCC spokeswoman said the agency has received a number of complaints about the ABC broadcast, though she declined to say how many.

The complaints will be reviewed and the commission will decide whether or not to open an investigation that could result in a fine against the network. The maximum indecency fine is $32,500 per incident.

ABC, which along with corporate sibling ESPN is in the midst of contract negotiations to extend its billion-dollar agreement for Sunday night and Monday night NFL games, said in a statement: "We have heard from many of our viewers about last night's MNF opening segment and we agree that the placement was inappropriate. We apologize."

The Eagles added in a statement: "It is normal for teams to cooperate with ABC in the development of an opening for its broadcast. After seeing the final piece, we wish it hadn't aired."

If ABC was hoping that a dollop of sex would spice up its Nielsen ratings, it was disappointed. The 11.6 household rating and 19 share was down 7 percent from the Week 10 game in 2003. The season-long ratings for Monday Night Football are down 5 percent, although it still ranks eighth in the Nielsen Top 10 for the 2004-2005 TV season.

Desperate Housewives, meanwhile, is tied for second with a 13.4 Nielsen average to Monday Night Football's 11.0.

Reaction to the pre-game spoof was mixed in Dallas and Philadelphia. As of late Tuesday, more than 3,000 people had voted in an online poll at www.philly.com, the Web site of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, with 51 percent saying the scene was "entirely inappropriate." More than 500 readers posted comments at www.dallasnews.com, the Web site of the Dallas Morning News.

Several Dallas readers noted that a handful of ABC affiliates, including Dallas' WFAA-TV, refused to show the movie Saving Private Ryan on Veterans Day, citing concerns about graphic violence and language that could result in sanctions by the Federal Communications Commission.

The FCC fined CBS more than a half-million dollars because of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl halftime show at Reliant Stadium.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

<hr>

This story has been all over the news today, it was a stupid commercial but is it "racist", "sexist". and as awful as the press are saying?

11-17-2004, 08:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	What's Wrong With this Ad? ABC apologizes for tease in Eagles locker room By DAVID BARRON Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Desperate Housewives? Try desperate programmers. ABC apologized Tuesday for beginning this week's Monday Night Football telecast with a tease sequence in which Nicolette Sheridan, star of ABC's top-rated domestic drama, attempted to seduce Philadelphia Eagles receiver Terrell Owens into skipping the Eagles-Cowboys game. The sequence, taped Friday by ABC at the Eagles locker room, ended with Sheridan, clad only in a towel, dropping the towel. Owens replied, "Aw, hell. The team's going to have to win this one without me" as Sheridan jumped into his arms. In real life, Owens caught three touchdowns as the Eagles beat the Cowboys 49-21. On Tuesday, the NFL said the league and its fans were the real losers. "ABC's opening was inappropriate and unsuitable for our Monday Night Football audience," the league said in a statement. "While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost. Today, the nation's chief media regulator expressed disappointment over the segment. "I wonder if Walt Disney would be proud," said Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. Powell questioned the judgment of those who decided to air the scene. "It would seem to me that while we get a lot of broadcasting companies complaining about indecency enforcement, they seem to be continuing to be willing to keep the issue at the forefront, keep it hot and steamy in order to get financial gains and the free advertising it provides," Powell said during an interview on CNBC. An FCC spokeswoman said the agency has received a number of complaints about the ABC broadcast, though she declined to say how many. The complaints will be reviewed and the commission will decide whether or not to open an investigation that could result in a fine against the network. The maximum indecency fine is $32,500 per incident. ABC, which along with corporate sibling ESPN is in the midst of contract negotiations to extend its billion-dollar agreement for Sunday night and Monday night NFL games, said in a statement: "We have heard from many of our viewers about last night's MNF opening segment and we agree that the placement was inappropriate. We apologize." The Eagles added in a statement: "It is normal for teams to cooperate with ABC in the development of an opening for its broadcast. After seeing the final piece, we wish it hadn't aired." If ABC was hoping that a dollop of sex would spice up its Nielsen ratings, it was disappointed. The 11.6 household rating and 19 share was down 7 percent from the Week 10 game in 2003. The season-long ratings for Monday Night Football are down 5 percent, although it still ranks eighth in the Nielsen Top 10 for the 2004-2005 TV season. Desperate Housewives, meanwhile, is tied for second with a 13.4 Nielsen average to Monday Night Football's 11.0. Reaction to the pre-game spoof was mixed in Dallas and Philadelphia. As of late Tuesday, more than 3,000 people had voted in an online poll at www.philly.com, the Web site of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, with 51 percent saying the scene was "entirely inappropriate." More than 500 readers posted comments at www.dallasnews.com, the Web site of the Dallas Morning News. Several Dallas readers noted that a handful of ABC affiliates, including Dallas' WFAA-TV, refused to show the movie Saving Private Ryan on Veterans Day, citing concerns about graphic violence and language that could result in sanctions by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC fined CBS more than a half-million dollars because of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl halftime show at Reliant Stadium. The Associated Press contributed to this story. <hr> This story has been all over the news today, it was a stupid commercial but is it "racist", "sexist". and as awful as the press are saying? __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.