Senate Commerce Chairman: Decency Rules Should Apply To Cable

Dow Jones News Service (excerpt) ^ | March 1, 2005 | Brian Blackstone

[HAL9000]

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The cable industry should have to adhere to the same indecency standards as over-the-air broadcasters, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R -Alaska, said Tuesday.

Cable "must live up to the same standards of decency that apply to you," Stevens said in remarks to a conference of broadcasters.

[snip]

Asked following his speech whether indecency standards should apply to such premium cable channels as HBO, Stevens replied, "Absolutely."

He added that he "disagrees violently" with the idea that Congress has no authority over indecency standards for the cable industry and "we might as well get it out in the open."

[Red Badger]

The whole reason behind cable in the first place was to get away from GOVERNMENT RULES!.............

[nuffsenuff]

Easy there, Senator.

[L98Fiero]

Ted Stevens........STFU!!

[Bogey78O]

He's completely wrong of course.

[Maceman]

I don't know that much about Ted Stevens, but everything I have ever seen about him seems to support the idea that he is a clueless big Government RINO moron.

[muawiyah]

Still, your basic cable operator is using public broadcast frequency to ship programming around the country ~ then there's the problem that this would make cable much less entertaining.

BTW, the FCC appears to have no interest in regulating Spanish language TV, whether broadcast or cable. I've seen more thong-time there on any given day than you'll see on English language TV in a year.

If you're interested, you can take a quick course in Spanish and it'll open up a whole new world of television!

[Constitution Day]

No, No, No, No!

[American_Centurion]

Blood of a tyrant runs through his veins.

Don't give this man any power.

[EagleUSA]

I knew this would be coming --- THE LIBERAL ELEMENT WANTS TO SILENCE FREE SPEECH -- it is an obstacle to their agenda. Another attack on our rights BY THE LEFT.

[Chiapet]

Still, your basic cable operator is using public broadcast frequency to ship programming around the country

Actually they're not using the public broadcast frequency. They're using cable (or satellite or what-have-you). That's the whole reason they're exempt from the decency rules to begin with.

[Enterprise]

Give me MORE power! Let me rule more people, more homes, more businesses. Let me punish those whom I desire.

[muawiyah]

Satellite does it for me, and microwave as well. Treaty bound frequency allocations and FCC regulations serve to keep both systems in line. Cable operators also use fiber, but that's not "public".

Please use examples that REFUTE what I just said ~ not those that SUPPORT me if you want to argue.

[RayChuang88]

I don't think Senator Stevens' suggestion will make it out of committee. Mostly because cable/satellite viewers want TV with less censorship, not using the same censorship standards that apply to over-air broadcasts!

[Mark was here]

Ted Stevens........STFU!!

Beat me to it.

[lonerepubinma]

NO, It was to provide sevice to area's that could not get reception from the airwaves.

[Moleman]

I am aware of the on/off button as well as the channel button; therefore, I do not support any more nanny state legislation.

[johnb838]

It's good to be the King.

[Red Badger]

Still, your basic cable operator is using public broadcast frequency to ship programming around the country ~ then there's the problem that this would make cable much less entertaining.

The whole issue with cable is that you have to PAY for it in order to receive it. The FREE broadcast channels are just that, free to receive by anyone with a TV set. Do you want the FCC to turn the cable systems into the alphabet soup channels? I PAY for what I watch. I haven't watched ABCBSNBC commercial channels for years. I don't want tge government tellin me what I can and cannot watch if I'm the one PAYING FOR IT!.......

[Moleman]

This is an attack from the RIGHT, which is more concerning.