The Times:

A new study making headlines today suggests teenage girls and boys who watch a lot of steamy television are more likely to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy... When most of the television a teen watches is sexual in nature, risk for teen pregnancy doubles compared to kids who watch little or no sexually-themed television.

The industry is hilarious about these sorts of arguments. Their entire paycheck is made on the assumption that a series of 30-second TV slots can alter viewer behavior -- but then vigorously protest when a social critic offers the same suggestion about the other 42 minutes of each hour.

Of course, caveats do apply:

The study only shows an association between steamy TV and teen pregnancy, which means some other factor may be influencing the data... it may be that kids prone to risky or problem behavior also are more attracted to shows with high sexual content.

I'd guess the process is cyclical: watching sex increases interest in sex, interest in sex leads to looking for more of it on TV, and so on. However, the recommended parental response is at once both hilarious and pathetic:

While the answer isn’t clear, the study findings do suggest that parents should be aware of what kids are watching on television and be ready to offer an alternate viewpoint.

No -- don't attempt to curb or influence your kids' viewing. Don't turn off the tube. (That would, like, totally dictatorial.) Simply "offer an alternative viewpoint." So: after your kid has watched 15 hours of consequence-free promiscuity on TV this week, suggest, as he or she walks out the door: "In real life, that's a bad idea!"

Yeah, that'll balance it out. :-)