Contact: Robert Peters, Morality in Media, 212-870-3210

NEW YORK, Jan. 29 /Standard Newswire / -- Last week, a star of ABC TV "Grey's Anatomy" checked himself into an inpatient facility for psychological counseling, apparently to head off being dismissed because he reportedly uttered a "gay slur" during an off-camera dispute and after the Golden Globe Awards program in response to a reporter's question about the dispute. Last year, ABC TV filed a lawsuit in a federal court challenging an FCC determination that use of a certain "expletive" in each of several episodes of "NYPD Blue" was indecent. In parts of the country, "NYPD Blue" airs at 9 pm, when many children are still watching TV.

Morality in Media President Robert Peters had the following comments:

"It is not my purpose to defend Isaiah Washington, a star of ABC TV's hit program, "Grey's Anatomy," for reportedly using a 'gay slur' on two separate occasions.

"But how do we explain the phenomena of TV executives and their high- priced actors being so deeply concerned about the sensibilities of adults in the workplace but so totally unconcerned about the wellbeing of children in their audiences?

"Do they think there is no harm done when they fill the public airwaves with cursing and with sexually charged conversation and simulated sex, even when countless children are watching?

"If the appropriate response to concerned parents is, 'If you don't like it, turn it off,' shouldn't the appropriate response to adults in the workplace be, 'If you don't like, it get another job'?

"Coincidentally NBC TV is also suing the FCC, because the FCC determined that a single utterance of the 'f-word' during the Golden Globe Awards was indecent, NBC's argument being that Bono's use of the vulgarism was 'isolated.' In other words, if a nasty four-letter word is uttered just once during a nationally televised program, it's OK for a big star to use it.

"It's not OK, however, for a big star to utter a 'gay slur' off stage, even once."