As British debate sex in media and schools, station airs 'The Joy of Teen Sex'

And many American parents thought "Skins" was bad.

While that MTV show wallowed in controversy and advertisers fled last month because of its portrayal of teen sex and drug use, the British channel that originally created "Skins" was launching a new show called "The Joy of Teen Sex" that went a lot farther.

The name of the reality miniseries is itself controversial, but Channel 4 in the United Kingdom stood by the program and is exploring a second round of episodes about the sex advice shop for teenagers that the Guardian newspaper attacked as fake because the three alleged sex experts aren't qualified experts at all.

Mediawatch U.K. director Vivienne Pattison also objected, according to the Hollywood Reporter, that the program "crosses the line into prurience, with graphic scenes of sex that can only be described as pornographic."

British media and politicians are struggling with the place of sex in public society. Parliament has been considering whether to block pornography from home computers unless users expressly request it. The Guardian also noted that Parliament is also wrestling over a bill that would make sex education in school compulsory.

A Channel 4 spokeswoman told the Daily Mail, "Sex is part of every teenager's life," but a group of health professionals wrote a long letter to the channel complaining about presumptions like that.

"For example," the letter noted, "the inaccurate claim made at the start of each programme that the average teen has had three sexual partners by the time they reach 16. In fact reputable research finds most teens have not had intercourse before they are 16."

"Skins" drew such intense criticism in America that advertisers pulled their commercials and network officials worried they could be prosecuted for broadcasting pornography.

"Skins" was a Channel 4 creation that like "American Idol" was exported across the Atlantic. Channel 4 has a long history of programming marketed as sex education.

Christian Today warned that Channel 4 promised the latest attempt included graphic sex and full frontal nudity and noted that the United Kingdom has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy, abortion and sexually transmitted infections in Europe. The author said the British "media's obsession with values-free sex and nudity contributes to the problem."

British sex education expert Justin Hancock expressed concern to the Guardian about Channel 4's work.

"I'm always concerned that primetime shows about young people are exploitative and invite viewers to be critical of young people," he said. "Sex and relationships for young people is complex and nuanced and factual entertainment shows only ever really scratch the surface of what is going on for young people."

e-mail: twalch@desnews.com