Posted on 11/17/2004 3:54:17 PM PST by churchillbuff
The nation's chief media regulator expressed disappointment Wednesday over the steamy locker room opening to ABC's "Monday Night Football" broadcast.
AP Photo
"I wonder if Walt Disney would be proud," said Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites). ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.
The opening, which has generated complaints to ABC and the FCC (news - web sites), featured actress Nicollette Sheridan in the locker room, supposedly dressed only in a white towel. She drops the towel and jumps into the arms of Philadelphia Eagles star Terrell Owens. Sheridan was shown only from behind and above the waist after dropping the towel.
Powell questioned the judgment of those who decided to air the scene.
"It would seem to me that while we get a lot of broadcasting companies complaining about indecency enforcement, they seem to be continuing to be willing to keep the issue at the forefront, keep it hot and steamy in order to get financial gains and the free advertising it provides," Powell said during an interview on CNBC.
An FCC spokeswoman said the agency has received a number of complaints about the ABC broadcast, though she declined to say how many.
The complaints will be reviewed and the commission will decide whether or not to open an investigation that could result in a fine against the network. The maximum indecency fine is $32,500 per incident.
ABC quickly apologized for the locker room intro. And the NFL called it "inappropriate and unsuitable for our 'Monday Night Football' audience."
ABC has broadcast "Monday Night Football" with a five-second delay this season, a precaution after singer Janet Jackson (news)'s "wardrobe malfunction" at February's Super Bowl halftime show — when singer Justin Timberlake (news) ripped off part of Jackson's outfit, exposing her right breast to a TV audience of some 90 million people.
CBS is protesting a proposed FCC fine of $550,000 for the halftime show.
As for his tenure at the agency, Powell said he'd be around for "a while yet."
"I still am having fun. There are still things that are really significantly important to me to complete," he said. "Right now, I just have no plans of going anywhere."
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Can we just provide all these Nanny State Advocates directions on how to operate a remote control device?
Sorry, you can't act like that in public; public airwaves are part of the public commons. Many children watch Monday Night Football.
it does no good to use a remote AFTER your kid has been exposed. This stuff is being thrown out there at times and places you wouldn't expect to see it.
If you also provide a TV schedule which details the crap that goes along with the football game, fine. You may notice there were no PG-13 warnings. Apparently, I'm supposed to expect the sleaze to come along with the footbal game.
Bunch of freekin nuts!
Actually, being that 1/3 of NFL Advertising are beer commercials, most of which feature sexual situations and another 25% are for Viagra I do not feel it is appropriate for children to watch any NFL Games. In fact, my wife and I have been able to actually control what our children watch and do not watch on TV and have been quite successful in our efforts.
Now, if you want your children to watch NFL Games with their beer advertising and the murderers and drug dealers on the field that is fine but I do not expect the Imperial Federal Government to help me parent my children.
However, if you need assistance from the Government in raising your children I really feel sorry for you but I don't think private corporations or American Adults should be restricted due to some parents shortcomings.
How do you use a remote when you are not expecting this crap. Do you realize this show airs at 8:00 p.m. and earlier starting in central time? It was totally inappropriate for an intro to MNF!
This was big news in Philly. I heard a few local nitwit calling talk radio and saying it was really a racial thing--America didn't want to see a white woman lusting after TO. No morons, people want to be able to watch a football game with their kids without having to explain the birds and bees.
Exactly, what was so wrong with that intro? (I saw the replay on ESPN)
I think some folks need to get out more...
I think it all comes down to a bunch of Cowboy fans being bend about the Eagles crushing the Cowboys on MNF.
Somehow, I do not think there would have been a problem if instead of T.O. doing the intro it would have been Vinny T. of the Cowboys.
FCC regulation is lame, especially since the whole notion of "public airwaves" is going the way of the Dodo thanks to cable and satellite. Viewers have to vote with their remotes. It's unfortunate that a segment of viewers can be titillated into watching shows by a race to the gutter. An equally large segment, if not larger, would respond to more quality "clean" programming.
The tipoff should have been the you were watching ABC-Disney.
Tell their advertisers you have reconsidered and suggest they do the same.
Have you ever considered some parents do not allow their children to watch the commercials?
I don't watch Monday Night Football.
For some reason, football games on TV are shown as if the viewers are all perpetual adolescents. Painted faces, Screaming people, Locker-room teenage sex talk, are all part of the TV media Football broadcast on any channel, any game, any time.
It is an insult for those who want to watch the game because:
(1) it's a family viewing event.
(2) if different viewers like different teams and want to root for them.
(3) if different viewers have favorite players they want to watch. Like Fantasy football freaks.
(4) if someone has any type of bet on the game.
TV media Football reduces all the viewers to infantile adolescents who get off on Screaming, Face Painting and teenage sex talk. No adults allowed, unless those adults are really old teenagers who never grew up. In that case, TV will always be there for you.
Are yuo seriously saying my children shouldn't watch sports on TV because some people want to see smut...? How about all you subscribing to the playboy channel and let the rest of us watch a ballgame!
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