News: Parents Worried About Nudity, Not Violence, in Movies

The 2015 Parents Ratings Advisory Study, commissioned by the Classification & Rating Administration which is jointly run by the Motion Picture Association of America and the National Association of Theatre Owners, has released its findings today. This is the first time they've made a full survey public.

About 80% of parents in the U.S. believe the movie ratings system is accurate overall, however, a majority think most types of sexual content should automatically warrant an R rating. This includes even one use of the F-word which is currently permissible with PG-13 rated films.

The results come as the administration has come under heavy criticism for being tougher on sex and language than on violence, and said results conveniently seem to strengthen the administration's current approach and endorse the system in place.

"The members of the rating board are tasked with rating a film the way a majority of American parents from across the country would rate it. We provide information and guidance; we do not censor or give any kind of critical judgment on a film’s artistic quality," wrote CARA chairman Joan Graves on the MPAA's blog in announcing the study, conducted by Nielsen.

She continued: "It is a responsibility that we take very seriously, asking ourselves before every screening: 'What would I want to know before letting my child watch this film?' We are proud of the system that we have created, a system that families everywhere have come to rely upon. Like any good system that is meant to endure, ours is one that evolves to reflect changes in social standards that happen over time. We will continue to seek feedback from America’s parents to ensure that we are meeting our purpose to inform parents and doing the best job that we can on their behalf."

The survey says 99% of parents were familiar with the ratings system with 93% saying they find said ratings and ratings descriptors helpful. In terms of concern, parents are most worried about graphic sex scenes (80%) and frontal male nudity (72%) followed by hard drugs (70%), frontal female nudity (70%).

It seems that parents are most concerned with graphic sex scenes (80 percent), followed by full male nudity (72 percent), use of hard drugs (70 percent), full female nudity (70 percent), graphic violence (64 percent), use of the F-word (62 percent), marijuana use (59 percent), horror violence (59 percent), non-graphic sex scenes (57 percent), suggestive sexual innuendo (57 percent), partial nudity (57 percent) and brief nudity (57 percent), according to the study.

Over half of parents (53 percent) think the F-word appears in PG-13 rated movies too much, followed by graphic sex scenes (51 percent), suggestive sexual innuendo (49 percent), full female nudity (47 percent) and partial nudity (47 percent). Only 44 percent think there is too much graphic violence in movies going out with a PG-13 rating.

The results come as Michael Moore's appeal to have the R-rating for his latest documentary "Where to Invade Next" overturned has failed. That film scored an R for "some violent images, drug use and brief graphic nudity."

Source: The Hollywood Reporter