NEWS RELEASE from MORALITY IN MEDIA, Inc.
NEW YORK (8 January 2004) — The L.A. Times reported on January 2 that the world’s biggest record conglomerate, Universal Music Group, “is trying to start its own uncensored music TV channel.” According to the paper, Universal Music Group and Vivid Entertainment Group would each own 45% shares of the proposed commercial-free premium channel. Universal is a unit of media giant Vivendi Universal. Vivid is one of the giants among our nation’s commercial hardcore adult pornographers.
Robert Peters, president of Morality in Media had the following comments:
“In general, there has been a ‘courtship’ going on between our nation’s secular entertainment media (film, TV and rap/music) and the hardcore pornography industry headquartered just north of Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley.
“But in the youth-oriented rap and music business, it would appear that the ‘courtship’ is rapidly progressing to an incestuous marriage, with rappers and musicians not only incorporating elements of the world of adult pornography their own performances but also with rappers performing in and creating hardcore pornographic videos.
“Perhaps then, it should come as no surprise that a major record company has now embarked upon a joint venture with one of the nation’s largest hardcore adult pornographers to launch a new premium ‘music’ channel that reportedly will be more nasty, vulgar and sexual than MTV.
“And since it is unlikely that there are enough consumers who can afford to and will pay hard-earned money to hear rappers and musicians be more nasty and vulgar than they already are, what will most likely make the channel a success, if it be one, is the sex—and lots of it.
“Increasingly, it would appear that there are ‘two Americas.’ In one, people strive to temper their personal desires and aspirations with a sense of right and wrong. In the other—where much of our nation’s secular entertainment media dwell—there are only personal desires and aspirations.