An Oklahoma congressman says NBC took network television "to an all-time low, with full-frontal nudity, violence and profanity" in airing "Schindler's List" during family viewing time.
Rep. Tom Coburn, head of the conservative Congressional Family Caucus, said Tuesday that NBC's decision to air the Holocaust movie Sunday evening should outrage parents and "decent-minded individuals everywhere." Several fellow Republicans, however, applauded NBC for airing the movie and criticized Coburn.
"These are very unfortunate and foolish comments," said GOP activist William Bennett, who has been waging a campaign against gratuitous sex and violence in entertainment media.
In an interview Wednesday, Bennett said, "Coburn's view obscures, even obliterates, the distinction between gratuitous violence and nudity -- that is violence and nudity to titillate -- and violence and human realism essential to the telling of an important story or historical truth."
NBC, which estimated that 65 million people watched all or part of the 3 1/2-hour, Oscar-winning movie, called Coburn's view "frightening" and said it is proud of its telecast.
"We think that Congressman Coburn's statement should send a chill through every intelligent and fair-minded person in America," said Don Ohlmeyer, NBC West Coast president. "This is exactly what we find frightening about the `helpful hand' of the government interfering with television programming decisions.""
In his statement, Coburn said public outrage could be the only way to stop the networks from "polluting the minds of our children."
"I cringe when I realize that there were children all across this nation watching this program. They were exposed to the violence of multiple gunshot head wounds, vile language, full frontal nudity and irresponsible sexual activity," he said.
Before the show began, director Steven Spielberg personally advised viewers the movie was not appropriate for young viewers. Bennett applauded that advisory and said Coburn's comments demonstrated "why Washington legislation and regulation won't work and why only creative studio and corporate responses in each case must be the answer."