Isn't Teen Pregnancy rates down in the USA over the last few years? Could one argue that the MTV shows may have something to do with it?

To your first part, I have no idea. To the second, I highly doubt Teen Mom comes into a teenagers mind when in the bedroom.

Btw, solid topic. I've had this EXACT discussion among friends over a few beers.

Teen pregnancy rate lowest in two decades – - CNN.com Blogs

 

Shows like "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant" have helped make teen pregnancy a topic of national conversation. However, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the actual rate of teen pregnancies in the U.S. has declined to a record low.

 

In 2009, around 410,000 teenage girls, ages 15 to 19, gave birth in the United States. That's a 37 percent decrease from the teen birth rate in1991. Then, 61.8 births per every 1,000 females was a teen pregnancy. The rate has now dropped to 39.1 births per 1,000 women. Yet according to the United Nations, the rate of teen pregnancy in the United States is nearly nine times higher than in the majority of other developed nations.

Teen pregnancy rate lowest in two decades – - CNN.com Blogs

 

Shows like "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant" have helped make teen pregnancy a topic of national conversation. However, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the actual rate of teen pregnancies in the U.S. has declined to a record low.

 

In 2009, around 410,000 teenage girls, ages 15 to 19, gave birth in the United States. That's a 37 percent decrease from the teen birth rate in1991. Then, 61.8 births per every 1,000 females was a teen pregnancy. The rate has now dropped to 39.1 births per 1,000 women. Yet according to the United Nations, the rate of teen pregnancy in the United States is nearly nine times higher than in the majority of other developed nations.

 

Do they list anywhere the amount of girl on birth control? I am just curious if that has also gone up, because it seems like these days most parents are realizing and giving into the fact that their child may start at a young age. So I wonder if that has led to more parents getting their children on birth control, because they rather know they be safe if they do. I am just curious if the rate of girls on birth control has gone up to, and maybe that has played a part in the decline.

Do they list anywhere the amount of girl on birth control? I am just curious if that has also gone up, because it seems like these days most parents are realizing and giving into the fact that their child may start at a young age. So I wonder if that has led to more parents getting their children on birth control, because they rather know they be safe if they do. I am just curious if the rate of girls on birth control has gone up to, and maybe that has played a part in the decline.

 

I would say that it has to have gone up, for that reasons and others.

This leads to some other questions.

 

"As a private company why should MTV change their business model when these type of shows obviously garner ratings?"

"Is MTV obligated to have any kind of social responsibility to not air these type of shows?"

 

1. MTV doesn't have to change anything.

2. MTV is not obligated, but we as a society reflect what they show on TV. The fact that this show is so popular should be a warning sign to Americans about where our moral and social conscience has gone.

TV and movies rely on real or made up stories that include conflict, drama, usually lots of things that get bleeped out.

 

The answer is that shows that lack these things are not made - by anyone, especially MTV. The days of Andy Griffith and the Lucy Show are long gone.

 

The bottom line - train wrecks pass for entertainment in today's world.

Teen pregnancy rate lowest in two decades – - CNN.com Blogs

 

Shows like "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant" have helped make teen pregnancy a topic of national conversation. However, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the actual rate of teen pregnancies in the U.S. has declined to a record low.

 

In 2009, around 410,000 teenage girls, ages 15 to 19, gave birth in the United States. That's a 37 percent decrease from the teen birth rate in1991. Then, 61.8 births per every 1,000 females was a teen pregnancy. The rate has now dropped to 39.1 births per 1,000 women. Yet according to the United Nations, the rate of teen pregnancy in the United States is nearly nine times higher than in the majority of other developed nations.

If those shows helped then we need a few new ones...."15 and a meth head", "Stoned the teenage years", "Shake and Bake...it's not just for chicken anymore". Just realized some of the younger BGPers might not know what the shake and bake chicken reference is....do they even make it anymore...LOL

16 and a female virgin...that's your fault. I'm sure there are plenty of boys in the school or in the neighborhood up for the honor.

Now a better show than "I'm a 16-year old girl and a virgin" would be "I'm a 16 year old boy, and I am athletic, handsome, ESPN Top 25 recruit in football and always on the news Friday night and in the newspaper Saturday morning and I go to a public school - but I am still a virgin" - that's the show.

16 and a female virgin...that's your fault. I'm sure there are plenty of boys in the school or in the neighborhood up for the honor.

Now a better show than "I'm a 16-year old girl and a virgin" would be "I'm a 16 year old boy, and I am athletic, handsome, ESPN Top 25 recruit in football and always on the news Friday night and in the newspaper Saturday morning and I go to a public school - but I am still a virgin" - that's the show.

 

If those shows helped then we need a few new ones...."15 and a meth head", "Stoned the teenage years", "Shake and Bake...it's not just for chicken anymore". Just realized some of the younger BGPers might not know what the shake and bake chicken reference is....do they even make it anymore...LOL

 

Jeff Blake reference?

Aren't teen pregnancy rates down in the USA over the last few years? Could one argue that the MTV shows may have something to do with it?

 

...I highly doubt Teen Mom comes into a teenagers mind when in the bedroom.

 

But a condom on the way to the bedroom might have.

I have seldom watched the "teen mom" show on MTV, but I have a couple of times. If the idea is for MTV to promote shows that would steer their viewers toward "better" behavior, then I think the current one would serve much better than a show that follows a teen virgin around. From what I've witnessed, the show does not pretty up or glorify being a teen mom in the least. I think it would have the desired effect on most normal people, which is to make them horrified at the though of a teen pregnancy.

 

The issue to me would be that they have many other shows that seem to glorify sex and hooking up.

 

Of course, in a society where people want to make everything relative and subjective and make their own rules, why is teen pregnancy a bad thing?

Direct TV took MTV off the air due to their provider asking for rate increase, along with vh1, nickelodeon, etc.

Sorry, I saw "MTV Ethics" and thought this was another thread on oxymorons.