The Naked Truth: Why Hollywood Doesn't Make X-Rated Movies
Kevin S. Sandler
From parents and teachers to politicians and policymakers,   there is a din of voices participating in the debate over how young people   are affected by violence, strong language, and explicit sexual activity in   films. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) responded to this   concern in 1968 when it introduced a classification and rating system based   on the now well-known labels: "G," "PG," PG-13," "R," and "X."    For some, these simple tags are an efficient way to protect children   from viewing undesirable content. But do the MPAA ratings only protect   children? In The Naked Truth, Kevin S. Sandler argues that perhaps even   more than viewers, ratings protect the Hollywood film industry. One prime   indicator of this is the collective abandonment of the NC-17 rating in 1990   by the major distributors of the MPAA and the main exhibitors of the   National Association of Theatre Owners. By categorizing all films released   by Hollywood and destined for mainstream theaters into R ratings (or   lower), the industry ensures that its products are perceived as   "responsible entertainment"--films accessible by all audiences and   acceptable to Hollywood's various critics and detractors.