A new study by media watchdog group Common Sense Media (CSM) concludes that sex, (legal) drugs or alcohol are featured in nearly half of the advertising shown during National Football League games, the Associated Press reported Jan. 29.

CSM staff monitored more than 50 NFL games during the 2008 season and noted the content of over 5,000 commercials. The study reported that 40 percent of the games included ads for erectile-dysfunction drugs, more than 500 ads involved significant levels of violence, 300 of the ads were for alcohol, and 1 out of 6 ads showed content CSM considered inappropriate for young children.

"When I go speak to groups, invariably someone will ask me why no one is doing anything about this," said James Steyer, founder and CEO of San Francisco-based CSM.

Steyer, who teaches law at Stanford University, said that he has already had conversations about advertising policy with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. "We're starting with the NFL but trust me, we'll ask our friends at the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission and in Congress to look at the other leagues if they don't clean up their act," Steyer said.
 
The full report is available from the CSM website.