Full Article Text

W E D N E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 0 8 , 2 0 0 6FCC's Idiotic Rulings On Indecency ContinueOne thing is clear: the FCC has no clue what it's doing and needs todramatically overhaul its indecency rulings to reflect the real world andstop using its power to clamp down on people or topics it doesn't like.The absurdly massive increase in FCC fines was insulting. Theirrandom, chaotic and confusing rulings are so insane that PBS madeheadlines recently when it decided to air the next Ken Burnsdocumentary The War -- about WW II -- beginning at 8 p.m. eventhough the the film contains, I think, two brief moments of cursewords. Imagine that, soldiers cursing. If anyone thinks young kids aregoing to watch a 14 hour documentary just for the "thrill" of hearingsome curse words unbleeped, they have lost their minds.Now, the FCC is reversing itself in hopes of fighting off court challengesto its idiotic standards. It decided "bullshitter" was okay on CBS's "TheEarly Show" because that's a news program. I don't know how much alive interview about the latest person to leave "Survivor" constitutesnews, but this still seems stupid. I'm sure parents don't want their kidshearing curse words. If CBS makes a habit of this, they'll complain andturn it off. Obviously, it was a live interview and a one-time inadvertentevent. There has to be some acknowledgment of events outside ashow's control, as opposed to scripted language in a drama or comedy.More annoyingly, the FCC dismissed a complaint about language usedon "NYPD Blue" in a market where the show airs at 9 p.m. Theydecided it was a "non-complaint" on a technicality because the personcomplaining wasn't living in the market here the episode aired. Getthat? Someone in another state complained that "NYPD Blue" aired at9 p.m. in a state where they don't even live. Why is this a "technicality?"NO ONE in the market complained about these episodes. But someonein another state who just decided they wanted to force everyone else toonly watch the types of programs they approve of made a complaint.Why would the FCC ever listen to complaints about a broadcast inKansas made by a person in Mississippi? It's just absurd.I've said it before: unless at least one half of one percent of abroadcasts' viewers complain, the FCC should NEVER take action. Onecomplaint by one viewer in ANY state is not worth investigating.Next Blog»sal1mineo@hotmail.comSEARCH BLOG FLAG BLOGFOLLOW BLOGP O P S U R F I N G . C O MS U R F I N G T H E WAV E S O F P O P U L A R C U LT U R EB Y M I C H A E L G I LT Z & F R I E N D SPOPSURFING.COM: FCC's Idiotic Rulings On Indecency Con...http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/11/fccs-idiotic-rulings-on-...
1 of 37/28/09 3:12 PM
FAV O R I T E L I N K SAmericablogFive O'Clock Lightning baseball blogDeep Pop -- Lori Lakin's BlogThe Back Page -- Jason Page on ESPNRadioCine-Blog -- George Robinson's BlogDocuments On Art & Cinema - DarylChin's BlogBrucie G's Wondrous Blog OfAdventure and Mystery -- BruceGreenspan's BlogB L O G A R C H I V E▼ 2009 (17)▼ July (3)1939 -- The Greatest Year ForMoviesSwimming Bans Those Hi-TechSuits!Best Movies Of The Year -- TheMaster List► June (3)► May (1)► March (2)► February (1)► January (7)► 2008 (86)► 2007 (781)► 2006 (2412)► 2005 (5)C O N T R I B U TO R SMichael in New YorkAaronBiboy POPSURFING.COM: FCC's Idiotic Rulings On Indecency Con...http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/11/fccs-idiotic-rulings-on-...
2 of 37/28/09 3:12 PM
POPSURFING.COM: FCC's Idiotic Rulings On Indecency Con...http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/11/fccs-idiotic-rulings-on-...
3 of 37/28/09 3:12 PM