The Parents Television Council is filing a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission over CBS' Dec. 31 reairing of an episode of Without a Trace containing what the PTC said were scenes of a "teen orgy party."
PTC says it complained about the episode when it first aired, but that the complaint was never addressed since it was part of CBS' parent Viacom's consent decree settlement with the commission.
“When the FCC and Viacom entered into an agreement to settle all outstanding indecency complaints except the Super Bowl, the PTC immediately questioned Viacom’s sincerity to abide by federal indecency laws," the group said Thursday. "The fact that this shocking episode aired only days after the Consent Decree was announced proves that CBS has no intention whatsoever to abide by the spirit or the letter of that agreement."
Back in November, Viacom agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle all outstanding indecency fines, proposed fines and complaints against it except Jackson, which it is expected to challenge in court.
PTC had to lodge the complaint for its Central and Mountain time zone viewers. The show aired at 9 p.m. there. On the East Coast, the broadcast's 10 p.m.time period is within the FCC's 10 p.m.-6 a.m. safe harbor for indecency.
PTC included numerous scene descriptions to make its point about the show's content, including the following:
"A teenaged girl with her back to the camera appears to be wearing nothing but panties. She appears to be sitting astride a teenaged boy kissing him while another girl in just a bra and panties fondles them both."
PTC also said it was mailing the FCC a copy of the episode.CBS declined to comment on the PTC complaint.
