The Enemies: ‘Friends’ And ‘Seinfeld’

The Virginia-based Parents’ Television Council has sent out a copy of its “1995-96 Family Guide to Prime Time Television,” which rates television shows for family suitability. I am dismayed to discover that some of my favorite shows are a menace to society.

Here are two that have gotten this watchdog group’s lowest rating:

“Friends”: “This sitcom’s gang of single twentysomethings discusses sex virtually every week; one male character in particular has had plenty of partners.”

“Seinfeld”: “Sex is ‘Seinfeld’s‘ favorite subject matter and the four main characters spend a great deal of time talking about it, pursuing it, and having it, albeit off-camera.”

To which I reply: Let’s face it, they probably talk about it way more often than they actually have it.

Still, the point is well taken.

Some other shows with the worst rating: “Roseanne” (“foul language”), “The X-Files” (“bizarre conspiracy theories, vilifies law-enforcement officials”) and “NYPD Blue” (“dorsal nudity”).

Two other shows which richly deserve their low rating: “Cybill” and “Married … With Children,” both of which are relentless sleazy by almost anybody’s standards.

Many other popular shows get a medium, or “cautionary” rating, from the Parent’s Television Council: “ER,” “Frasier,” “Coach,” “Dave’s World,” “Homicide” and “Mad About You.”

A total of 19 shows got the worst rating, as opposed to 50 with a cautionary rating and 25 with the top rating.

Among those with the top rating are “Home Improvement,” “Murder She Wrote,” “Family Matters” and “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.”

The bad news for anyone looking for family-oriented viewing: You might have to watch “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” which the council describes as a “family friendly show appropriate for viewers of all ages.”

Looking back

I have only one more comment about the above item:

Dorsal nudity?!?

Wide world of demographics

Normally I hesitate to wade into the morass of demographic breakdowns for the local Nielsen ratings. Every station and every show can claim to be No. 1 with somebody, even if it is with heli-arc welders aged 18-34.

However, two broad breakdowns might be worth looking at in the November sweeps ratings for local TV news: Men vs. women, and younger viewers vs. older viewers.

Men vs. women: KREM-2 and KHQ-6 tend to do better with women, and KXLY-4 tends to do better with men. In fact, KXLY’s 5 p.m. audience is 57.9 percent male, while men make up less than 50 percent of the audience at the other two stations. The only plausible theory I can come up with is that KXLY is generally considered a strong sports station.

Younger viewers vs. older viewers: KXLY tends to do better with younger viewers, KHQ does better with older viewers and KREM does well with both. I have no theory whatsoever about why this would be. (By the way, I chose age 50 as the dividing line. I’m sorry. I had to divide it somewhere).

More significant is the fact that over-50 viewers make up a disproportionate chunk of the audience for all newscasts. For instance, at 5 p.m., around 75 percent of the news audience is over 50. Even at 11 p.m., well over 60 percent of the audience is over 50.

First Jazz canceled

This just in: First Jazz, a local jazz festival scheduled today at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park, has been postponed until further notice.

Organizers plan to bring it back as a larger event sometime this summer.

Montgomery’s opener

The opening act for the Feb. 16 John Michael Montgomery concert at the Arena has been announced: Mark Chesnutt.

Montgomery was originally scheduled to open the Spokane Arena on Sept. 16, but he had to cancel in order to have throat surgery.

Hampson on the air

Thomas Hampson, once called by the New York Times “the Don Juan from Spokane,” can be heard live Saturday at 10 a.m. on KPBX-FM’s Texaco-Metropolitan Opera broadcast.

Hampson will sing the role that earned him that moniker: Don Giovanni in the Mozart opera of the same name. (Don Giovanni is Italian for Don Juan.)

This is the latest in a long run of starring roles for Hampson at the Met in New York.

KPBX-FM is at 91.1 on the dial.

‘Sentimental Journey’

Spokane musicians David and Cathi Moyer are getting airplay on KAQQ-AM (590) with their new CD of nostalgic standards, “Sentimental Journey.”

The album features such tunes as “Danny Boy,” “Swingin’ on a Star” and “It’s Been a Long, Long Time.”

David Moyer was formerly a member of the New Christy Minstrels and Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians. Cathi Moyer was a member of the local group the Swingin’Spiration.

“Sentimental Journey” is on sale at all Hastings stores.

, DataTimes