Posted on 03/01/2005 2:32:12 PM PST by Blackirish
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens said Tuesday he would push to apply broadcast decency standards to subscription television and radio services like cable and satellite. "Cable is a much greater violator in the indecency area," the Alaska Republican told the National Association of Broadcasters, which represents most local television affiliates. "I think we have the same power to deal with cable as over-the-air" broadcasters. "There has to be some standard of decency," he said. Stevens told reporters afterward that he would push legislation to apply the standards to cable and satellite radio and television. Federal regulations bar broadcast television and radio stations from airing obscene material and restrict indecent material, such as sexually explicit discussions or profanity, to late-night hours when children are less likely to be watching or listening. But so far those restrictions have not applied to subscription television and radio services offered by companies like Comcast Corp. (up $0.28 to $32.74, Research) or Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (up $0.38 to $5.95, Research), which recently signed shock jock Howard Stern. Stevens said he disagreed "violently" with assertions by the cable industry that Congress does not have the authority to impose limits on what they air. "If that's the issue they want to take on, we'll take it on and let the Supreme Court decide," he said. The House of Representatives has approved legislation to raise fines to $500,000 from $32,500 on television and radio broadcasters that violate indecency limits. The Senate has legislation pending to increase fines as well. But neither bill has provisions that would extend indecency restrictions to cable and satellite services.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Man are you twisted.
Is this issue more imporant to you than women in Muslim nations being murdered because a bit of wind blew their head covering one inch off center?
I believe we should send our entire library of adult films to these Muslim nations. It may just save millions of women from being murdered.
Really? I see tons of Christians eating meat on Friday. I see tons of Christians in polyester clothing.
The gov't can stay away from cable. For the most part basic cable isn't too much worse than network. They want to keep their sponsors.
How DEMOCRAT of Stevens to try and authorize a bunch of unelected punks in the FCC to tell me what I can watch on my cable set.
It goes along with the gun grabbing, smoke grabbing, public health fascists in the democrat party. Stevens spends like a democrat too.
I think Ted Stevens underestimates the can of worms he's opening up with this. He'll get the message quick. If not he'll get thrown out of office come '08.
That said, it is shocking to see someone from Alaska of all places to go for that. I figured it would be Sam Brownback and Joe Lieberman teaming up like normal.
I thought america was beyond this kind of nonsense. I thought that in the past you had this kneejerk reaction to TV programs simply because it was a young medium and it took a long adjustment period for people to get comfortable with the idea that it's an open marketplace of ideas. This is retro, naive legislation.
How long will it be before a new crop of self appointed morality police decide to start cleaning up the internet.
Enquiring minds want to know, do you bite your lip when you say, "For the chirrun"?
Not only is Ted Stevens of Alaska calling for legislation, but also some guy named Joe Barton of Texas. Joe should get voted out of office as well.
I believe we should send our entire library of adult films to these Muslim nations.At one point, Baywatch was the most popular TV show in the Middle East. >:)
-Eric
Over free air waves, such decency standards are reasonable.
In a private setting (paid and requiring special equipment and access), this is ridiculous.
My superbowl and my public airwaves are no different than my public park down the street. My children and the children of my neighbors shall not have to tolerate defecation and sexual acts being performed in this public park. It is PUBLIC.
That Stern's decided to move to pay-per-listen is a good thing, at least he'll no longer be crapping in the public pool most trust will be kept to high enough standards that swimming in it would not invite infection.
Most bothersome is that there will be those laughing all the way to the bank, knowing full-well they took advantage of the public trust while no-one was looking. They crapped in the community pool and made tons of money doing it.
If Mr. Stevens wants to introduce any legislation at all, perhaps he could suggest a tax for those who benefit financially by utilizing a public asset, ie. building careers upon the taxpayers who've shouldered the cost of the vast communications systems put in place by their tax dollars and participation making this opportunity for them possible in the first place.
What takes place in the filthy pay-to-listen ponds matters not to me. What takes place in public does.
"Thank God for Janet Jackson's boob. "
Michael Copps, the fanatical democrat at the FCC was responsible for pushing the super bowl fine. Your in bed with Michael Copps if you endorse the fine.
You're mistaken, I don't find men attractive.
Even if you did, you still wouldn't find Michael Copps to your liking as he has the pinched face of the tradional moralist fanatic.
I can't agree with your comparison of free TV to a public park. I've always believed that films and TV function in your minds perception in the same was as dreams - that watching a film is like having a dream while you're awake. It's just imagery. It's not real, but rather celluloid and videotape. You can't control the images you receive while you're dreaming. Legislating content is like trying to control your dreams.
Handy-dandy indecency smasher
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