“The opposite of pornography.” So proclaims the creator of MTV’s Skins in answer to the growing chorus of critics that compare the sexually-provocative scripted series (with a largely underage cast) to child porn. Bryan Elsley says “The show is the opposite of pornography. It isn’t us who are being
provocative. I think that some of the people who object to the show are
being provocative in the use of that word.” Explaining the show, Elsley tells the LA Times that “It’s about a boy who is abandoned by his mother. How he deals with that
and how his friends come to realize that this happy-go-lucky boy has
led an incredibly sad and fractured life.” Meanwhile, MTV continues to stick by the show despite advertiser defections and plummeting ratings.
IMHO: Having only seen clips from the show, I have no idea if it legally qualifies as child pornography. I do know that there are a whole of lot kids out there living positive lives (including helping others) and that dramatizing their stories could have an uplifting and inspiring impact on young viewers. But, apparently, that’s not the route MTV chooses to go in its programming.

Edgy peacock.
Roger Greenblatt, Comcast’s choice to run NBC, is promising to push
broadcast boundaries with the kind of envelope-busting programming that
has gotten Showtime (his former employer) so much attention. Showtime
is, of course, the home of Dexter, the Miami Police forensic investigator who moonlights as a serial killer. So, apparently, a faithful remake of Quincy is out at the new NBC.
A quick check of NBC’s pilots indicates that Greenblatt is in the process of following through on his promise.
Comedies include:
Are You There Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea – Comedian Chelsea Handler is producing this edgy sitcom based on her book.
Brave New World
– A single-camera comedy about the staff at a Plymouth plantation-type
living museum where characters walk around dressed as pilgrims. (The theory being that funny hats will make any comedy funnier.)
I Hate That I Love You – A
single-camera comedy in which a straight couple introduces two of
lesbian friends to each other and the pregnancy that results.
My Life as an Experiment – A sitcom about the life of an immersion journalist and how his
unusual assignments comedically affect his home life with his wife and
two kids.
Untitled Whitney Cummings Project – A  former cast member of MTV’s Punk’d stars in a sitcom about a young couple struggling to maintain a committed relationship in today’s complicated world.
Dramas include:
17th Precinct – Described as Hill Street Blues with supernatural elements.
Mann’s World –  An update on the 1975 Warren Beatty satirical film Shampoo,
this dramedy tells the story of a middle-aged straight Beverly Hills
hairdresser and his struggle to stay young and remain relevant in a land
where
looks are everything.
Playboy – Set in the 1960’s, the men’s magazine gets the Mad Men treatment.
S.I.L.A. – Traffic-like drama depicting a complex interweaving of crime, cops and politics in Los Angeles.
Smash – A Steven Spielberg drama about the production of a Broadway play.
Wonder Woman – A David E. Kelley remake of the iconic seventies TV series which itself wsa based on the classic DC Comics character.
Reality shows include:
The Boss is Coming to Dinner – Job applicants throw a dinner party for their prospective employer.
Love in the Wild – Survivor meets The Bachelor. 
IMHO: I’m not saying these shows are going to be bad. As always it’ll be the
execution that will count. But it does seem clear that edgy is in at
NBC and uplifting, warm and traditional isn’t. 
That strikes me as odd since the network’s cable sibling USA has had enormous ratings with a non-envelope lineup of fairly traditional hour-long dramas like Monk, Burn Notice, White Collar and Royal Pains featuring likable characters.
These shows have brought USA to the very pinnacle of the cable ratings.

My personal theory is that audiences (aka real people) have lives that
are edgy enough. At the end of the day, they want to relax with shows
about well-intentioned characters, with good stories and which support the
old-fashioned view that good does triumph over evil.
Moral ambiguity
(i.e. serial killers as heroes) that veers toward the amoral may be the height of sophistication among the glitterati but if you really want to appeal to masses, tell stories about
heroes who do the right thing. Even adults can use role models.