Tackling difficult and provocative material is not unusual for Mr. Sondheim and his various collaborators.

This trend of dealing frankly with provocative material in cinema began immediately after the end of the War.

Over time its education came to include provocative material that some contend was meant to inspire jihad.

He would surely have lacked provocative material on which to base the play he has written, "Bedfellows."

"These are really provocative materials," Ms. Azarnoff said.

They argue that white audiences feel comfortably liberal in watching a program about blacks, and these audiences do not feel threatened because provocative material is absent.

Meantime, the agency has stepped up enforcement against broadcasters who air provocative material during the day.

Stephen Sondheim takes on provocative material in "Assassins," a musical about those who have tried to kill American Presidents.

The Publicity Committee discouraged local printed bulletins, persistently worried that provocative material would emerge in the local sheets.