Sex on television is heating up, but more TV programs are including the risks and responsibilities of sexual behavior, a study released Tuesday found. The percentage of shows depicting or implying
sexual intercourse rose from 10% two years ago to 14% in the 2001-02 season, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation study. The rate was even higher for the 20 top shows among teenage viewers: one
in five of those programs, or 20%, included implied or depicted intercourse, the study found. The foundation's initial TV sex study, released in 1999, found that 7% of shows overall included
intercourse. Previous studies did not detail figures for shows favored by teenagers.
