ABC Family deemed too edgy for families

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BURBANK, Calif., Feb. 1 (UPI) -- The ABC Family cable network has become too edgy for U.S. families due to new series like "Greek," a Parents Television Council official says.

Michele MacNeal, who is the head of a branch of the TV watchdog group, claims ABC Family shows like "Greek" and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" include material that is inappropriate for family viewing, the Los Angeles Times said Sunday.

"It's kind of a misnomer to call ABC Family a family channel," MacNeal said. "When you call something 'family,' it gives the impression that it's safe for all members of the family, even young children."

Among the mature themes featured in the newer ABC Family shows have been teenage pregnancy and underage drinking in college.

But Anne Sweeney, Disney-ABC Television Group president, maintains such situations are simply representative of real life and therefore should be explored in family TV programming.

"The best way to resonate with your audience is to be authentic," Sweeney told the Times. "And you're only authentic if you are holding up a mirror to your audience and saying, 'I see you.'"