KSL's family brand | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

How sad to read, "KSL won't air gay-themed NBC sitcom 'New Normal'" (Tribune, Aug. 25). From previews, this looks like an intelligent, funny and loving tale of a modern family that happens to include two dads. How progressive of NBC to produce a show so unique and relevant.

How tragic that KSL won't air the program in the scheduled time slot or on the network channel at all, because, as Jeff Simpson, CEO of KSL's parent company, said: "For our brand, this program feels inappropriate on several dimensions, especially during family viewing time."

Imagine my surprise when I tuned to KSL tonight at 8 p.m. ("family viewing time") to see two men, wearing only bikinis and shoes, hitting on each other, picking each other up and committing intimate physical acts with one another. How is it that "WrestleMania," which glorifies overblown machismo, artificial violence and primitivism, is consistent with the family brand of KSL (and, thus, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)? How regressive of the bunch!

I forgot — this is television. The goal is to sell advertising. God forbid we allow ourselves to think and be considerate of families different than our own.

Thom Benedict

Salt Lake City