Posted on 06/18/2004 5:08:01 AM PDT by cweese
Austin Community Television received a handful of calls Wednesday night from viewers complaining about violent content.
The beheading video of Nicholas Berg aired in its entirety continuously from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. during a live program on channel 10.
George Wooley was the program's producer. He said he was trying to illustrate the divided nature of media.
"Innocent civilians and Americans are being horribly treated and that needs to be shown to the American public. I don't know why the dominant media fails to do that, but they do, so I felt compelled to do it myself," he said.
Viewers questioned why the violent images were allowed to air during primetime hours.
"This is a freedom of expression facility, so there's no control over the content of the programs," ACTV executive director John Villarreal said.
According to the ACTV contract, as long as the content doesn't break local, state and federal law, it can air on the channel.
Graphic content on cable access
Viewers complained after a Channel 10 show aired the Nicholas Berg beheading video.
The city of Austin gives ACTV a place to operate but has no editorial control.
The only people who have editorial control are the individuals who put together their own shows.
"We don't comment on their content, but they take full responsibility for what they put on the air," Villarreal said.
So if an individual's program leads to an obscenity lawsuit, the producer is responsible, not ACTV or the city.
ACTV administrators said the benefits of offering a free media outlet to all Austin citizens outweigh the potential problems that may come along with it.
"We don't want to have the liability of judging the nature of a program," said Rondella Hawkins of the city of Austin Telecommunications Department
Wooley said he doesn't regret airing the video on live TV.
"I'm not ashamed of the pictures I've been able to show to make my point,” he said.
ACTV producers are required to register their contact information so that viewer complaints can be directed to them.
ACTV is funded by cable subscribers who pay a 35 cent monthly fee.
They declined comment for this story.
News 8 Austin tried to get reaction from city leaders, but questioned council members had not seen the program and declined comment.
The media rarely show photos of Nick Berg, aborted babies or of citizens jumping to their deaths on 9/11 for one simple reason. Reminding us of why we fight would help re-elect President Bush.
There was also howling outrage by these traitors in an article published last week on the News8 website which quoted the above expressing their disgust towards the coverage of Ronald Reagan's funeral.
A procrastinator :-)
Yep, lots of traitors these days, unlike during WWII.
Oh! I used to be but I finally got a round Tuit.
Good post though!
Thanks!
Thought this would interest y'all.
Those jellyrolls will do it every time!
You're right. Good post.
I keep a box of them in my truck so that I always can get a round Tuit quickly.
The media is too busy showing prisoners with panties on their heads, then to show whot the REAL enemy is.
I should have said "Already posted" as well.
A full airing of the video needs to be done just so people can make up their own minds instead of being spoonfed.
Televising without commentary of capital punishment, same argument. Let people decide if they have the stomach for it.
It's supposed to be America, isn't it?
It was interesting to go back through this website and look at previous polls, though. The liberals here seem to have their panties in a twist over the attention President Reagan got, I noticed.
What a non-issue.
I used their feedback form to show my support for the airing of the video. I suggest we all do the same.
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