NBC affiliate KSL-TV in Utah declines to air ‘The New Normal’

“The New Normal,” Ryan Murphy’s new comedy series about a gay couple in Los Angeles and the woman they pick to be the surrogate mother of their child, will debut on NBC on Sept. 11. Except for on NBC affiliate KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, which is declining to air the series.

According to a statement to the Deseret News from Jeff Simpson, chief executive of Bonneville International, the owners of KSL-TV, “After viewing the pilot episode of ‘The New Normal,’ we have made the decision to keep it off our fall schedule. For our brand, this program simply feels inappropriate on several dimensions, especially during family viewing time.”

Bonneville International is a broadcasting company owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the Deseret Management Corp.

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It isn’t the first time KSL has declined to air content NBC has broadcast. Last year, the station didn’t carry “The Playboy Club,” citing a desire to not be associated with pornography and the Playboy brand. Other NBC series not aired by KSL include the sexy comedy “Coupling” and the animated series “God, the Devil and Bob.” None of those series lasted long on NBC.

The long-running “Saturday Night Live” is another NBC series not carried by KSL.

Outspoken “New Normal” star Ellen Barkin took immediate issue with the decision on Twitter, writing, “Shame on u @kslcom not airing @NBCTheNewNormal So L&O; SVU (rape & child murder) is ok? But loving gay couple having a baby is inappropriate?”

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GLAAD also took issue with the series being dropped, saying in a statement from GLAAD President Herndon Graddick, “Same-sex families are a beloved part of American television thanks to shows like ‘Modern Family,’ ‘Glee’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ 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.”

He then went on to invite Simpson to sit down with GLAAD and local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families.

The people of Salt Lake City aren’t entirely cut off from “The New Normal,” however. There are currently plans to air the series on KUCW, the city’s CW affiliate, which also airs “Saturday Night Live.”

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