Canceling ’19 Kids And Counting’ Due To Child Molestation Claims Cost TLC $19 Million
Although TLC’s decision to cancel 19 Kids and Counting was something that couldn’t be avoided, it is proving to be costly for the network. In fact, according to Us Magazine, TLC is feeling the hit to the tune of some $19 million in revenue losses.
The numbers were released by Andy Warren during a recent earnings conference for the company’s second quarter. Warren is the CFO of Discovery Communications and stated that the “higher restructuring and other charges this year of $19 million primarily due to content impairment charges from canceling TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting.” He added that TLC was currently facing over $24 million in charges.
TLC made the call to cut ties with the show following a scandal involving one of the Duggar’s sons, Josh. Josh was involved in a child molestation case when he was a teenager involving the inappropriate touching of five different girls, including several of his sisters, including Jill and Jessa Duggar.
Although the incident happened a number of years ago, the family made the decision to keep the case under wraps and not release it to the public. However, after the original police reports surfaced online, TLC immediately made plans to cancel the show.
“After thoughtful consideration, TLC and the Duggar family have decided to not move forward with 19 Kids and Counting,” TLC announced in an official statement on July 16. “The recent attention around the Duggars has sparked a critical and important conversation about child protection,” the network added.
In addition to the decision to cancel the popular reality show, TLC also stated that they are set to partner with a few child protection agencies in order to bring more awareness to the topic of underage sexual abuse. It isn’t known how the network plans to do this, though TLC is expected to be releasing a documentary about child sex abuse in the near future.
Meanwhile, according to Entertainment Weekly, 19 Kids and Counting had a rather large amount of fans due to the family’s Christian ties. Further, it was one of TLC’s highest rated shows, so without future seasons to rely on, TLC will undoubtedly continue to see a loss of revenue until it finds a suitable replacement.
At the same time, this isn’t the first time TLC has decided to pull a show because of a scandal. The network ended Here Comes Honey Boo Boo after a similar scandal involving sexual abuse.
Tell us! Do you think TLC did the right thing by canceling 19 Kids and Counting? Let us know in the comments below.
[Image Courtesy: TLC]
