PASADENA, Calif. — The TV industry should study whether there's a link between on-screen violence and mass killings such as those last month at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School, FX President John Landgraf told TV critics Wednesday.
But, Landgraf said, the incidence of homicide by gun is 90 times higher in the U.S. than in the U.K., and "we consume the same media — same movies, same television shows, same video games."
"The major difference between England and the United States is access to, and availability of, guns," he said at Winter TV Press Tour 2013.
"I'm someone who believes very strongly in both the First Amendment and the Second Amendment, so I believe that we have the right to free speech in this country, and I believe that we have the right to have guns for protection," said Landgraf, who is much loved by TV critics because he is the only cable TV exec who consistently appears at the tour to take questions on the record.
"But last time I checked, I think a shotgun or a handgun that has a six-round clip are . . . perfectly adequate weapons for self-defense in the home. I think it was yesterday, it came out that the crazy man . . . who shot up the movie theater in Aurora got off — it was either 27 shots in 30 seconds or 30 shots in 27 seconds. . . . You simply can't create that kind of mayhem if you have to reload."
Asked about the pile-on of violent TV shows, Landgraf said: "We're animals — our greatest fear is death, and if you want to rivet people . . . you're going to tend to hover around questions of life and death, because that's the thing that rivets our attention."
He noted that the top-rated dramas/miniseries on basic cable among young viewers (who are coveted by advertisers) are: AMC's zombie drama "The Walking Dead," History's "Hatfields & McCoys," HBO's vampire drama "True Blood," Fox's biker-gang drama "Sons of Anarchy," FX's horror anthology "American Horror Story" and HBO's sex-and-swords drama "Game of Thrones."
"The top six are all in some way about violence," he said. "Let's not kid ourselves; that will always be very compelling for people to watch.
He noted that such shows as "The Walking Dead" and "Sons of Anarchy" are tailored to appeal to viewers in their 20s.
"You think it's just that younger people's fears tend to go more towards zombies?" one critic asked.
"I do," Landgraf said. "I'm 50. I worry about cancer."
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys
