The free market may be the tool that keeps commercial television from falling even further into the depths of degradation. Recent decisions by advertising heavyweights Sears, Roebuck, and Co., Quaker Oats and Best Buy to drop their sponsorship of Fox's "Temptation Island" is a good sign. The show so far has been a ratings success, but those companies decided, with good reason, that it wasn't something they wanted to connect with their names and reputations.
But decent Americans shouldn't feel too hopeful. Advertisers traditionally have gauged the limits of tolerance among their customers, but those limits seem gradually to be expanding as viewers become increasingly accustomed to profanity, violence and, yes, even "reality" shows that tempt people to break commitments and pursue immorality.
"Temptation Island" appears to be quite popular among people in the 18-49 age group. As younger audiences grow, more permissive attitudes and values are likely to become more acceptable. It isn't enough for advertisers to act responsibly. Networks should also understand their roles as cultural gatekeepers and stop testing the bounds of taste and sensibility.
Of all the networks, Fox seems to understand this the least. Its executives promised no more reality-based programs after last year's disastrous "Who wants to marry a multimillionaire," in which the winning bride backed out and the multimillionaire turned out to be of dubious character. But it was quick to break that promise after CBS scored big ratings with "Survivor," the most successful of the "reality" programs so far.
"Temptation Island" brings several "committed" couples to an island (none are married). They then are separated and tempted by attractive members of the opposite sex. Most disturbing of all is the underlying premise, which is that relationships are one-dimensional and focused solely on physical attraction.
The best part of this advertising back-out is that part of it seems to be based on a desire to put families and moral standards ahead of profits. At least Lee Antonio, a spokeswoman for Sears' advertising department, told the New York Times that the company has joined a consortium of companies interested in promoting more family oriented television.
Money always has spoken loudly to television producers and executives. Maybe responsible stands like these will speak loudly enough for even Fox executives to hear.