Study finds TV shows are still turning up the heat but also getting out a ‘safer-sex’ message

Although television remains awash in sexual content -- including more scenes of actual or implied intercourse -- producers are generally doing a better job of incorporating “safer-sex” messages into programs, according to a biennial study by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation released Tuesday.

The report, monitoring the 2001-02 season, is the third by the national health foundation. Researchers say they were heartened to find that more than a quarter of shows with talk or depictions of sexual intercourse also featured safer-sex references -- ranging from discussion of abstinence to use of contraceptives -- a twofold increase from four years ago.

In addition, such messages rose to a third of programs when teenagers were involved, doubling comparable figures from 1999-2000. Safer-sex messages were even more prevalent in programs most popular with teens, the audience perceived to be most in need of such information from the media.

“The kinds of messages young people receive about sex are really important,” said Kaiser foundation Vice President Vicky Rideout, who presented the findings in Beverly Hills.

While Kaiser’s focus is on sex education and health matters, the results are unlikely to calm cultural critics. As in the last study, nearly two-thirds of programs viewed featured some sexual content, which is defined to include sexual banter, kissing and touching.

Programs containing sexual intercourse, either depicted or implied, also doubled from the first study, to 14% of programs sampled, after increasing to 10% two years ago.

The inroads cited by researchers may be attributable in part to outreach programs designed to heighten TV producers and executives’ awareness regarding sexual imagery, with Kaiser hosting such a conference Tuesday in conjunction with the latest analysis.

The survey randomly sampled more than 1,000 programs on selected broadcast and cable networks -- excluding news, sports and children’s programs -- from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.