False Protests

Wilkes-Barre Times Leader ^ | June 28, 2006 | Chuck Shepherd

[Paul678]

False Protests

By Chuck Shepherd

The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

June 28, 2006

The “indecent” CBS drama “Without a Trace” for which the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a $3.3 million fine of the network and affiliates was apparently complained about by only two (at most) actual viewers of the estimated 8.2 million who watched it that December 2004 night, according to FCC records that CBS cited in a June filing to the commission. Those two (and 4,209 complaints from people who apparently only heard about the show) did not start arriving at the FCC until 12 days afterward, which coincidentally was the day that a family watchdog organization began alerting its members about the show. The same CBS program had aired in 2003, with no complaints.

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/entertainment/14918583.htm

[balch3]

barf alert. People are standing up for decency and the MSM can't stand it.

[theDentist]

What was the complaint?

[CT-Freeper]

This is just ridiculous.

First, ban the FCC. If people are so upset about something so indecent, turn it off! The only the the FCC should be doing is issuing broadcasting licenses. They have no right to regulate content.

Second, $3.3 Million?

Third, only two people complained originally? Get a freekin life.

[day10]

CBS? What is that? A TV network or something?

[ansel12]

I assume the multi million dollar fine is based on what they found, not on how the violation was brought to their attention.

[AppyPappy]

Interesting logic. If you didn't watch it, it didn't happen.

[CT-Freeper]

Here is a better description of what happened.

[yevgenie]

Interesting . . . (The episode's first airing also prompted complaints, which were dismissed when CBS signed a consent decree in 2004 dealing with numerous FCC rulings.).

So, the first time they showed it, CBS got out of the trouble by signing something. They then decided to re-air the episode in question, which had ALREADY generated complaints once before, and act all huffy now that it received complaints AGAIN???

[Paul678]

The PTC only claims 1 million members, yet it games the FCC system to make TV content decisions for Americans in 109 million TV households.

1 million out of 109 million plus. If that's democracy in action, I'd hate to live in a totalitarian dictatorship.

Check out TV Watch, at www.televisionwatch.org, for a common sense voice of reason in this debate.