Viewers Ask FCC to Impose Fines Over President's Swearing

Dow Jones Newswires ^ | Aug 31, 2006 | Siobhan Hughes

[Brilliant]

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones) -- The Federal Communications Commission has been asked by about two dozen people to impose financial penalties in connection with television and radio broadcasts in which President Bush was heard swearing at the G-8 summit in July.

Bush apparently thought a microphone was off last month while he was speaking with Prime Minister Tony Blair. While discussing political tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, Bush used the word shit. His comments came just four months after federal regulators said that the word was one of the most vulgar, graphic and explicit words relating to excretory activity in the English language and would likely trigger fines if broadcast.

Many listeners were offended after hearing Bush's remarks on channels such as CNN, a cable network whose programs aren't subject to Federal Communications Commission fines. But at least one person complained that the word was aired on an NBC affiliate - a station that is subject to FCC penalties since its programs air over spectrum licensed from the government.

"In the report on President Bush being caught swearing with a microphone on, your report aired the expletive, and the reporter herself even repeated it!" according to the letter to the FCC and WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine. "Every other story I saw on TV and heard on the radio earlier today had the word beeped. I'm not trying to be a prude... okay maybe I am, but I expect more from my local news station!" the person wrote, according to a letter that was one of many obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

An e-mail and a phone call to the NBC station in Portland, Maine, weren't returned. Tara Connell, a spokeswoman for Gannett Co. Inc. (GCI), which owns WCSH-TV, declined to comment. Julie Summersgill, a spokeswoman for General Electric Co. (GE)'s NBC Universal, declined to comment. Emily Lawrimore, a White House spokeswoman, declined to comment. FCC spokeswoman Tamara Lipper declined to comment on whether the agency had sent a letter of inquiry, which is the first step toward a formal investigation. The FCC's policy is not comment on enforcement matters.

The FCC earlier this year outlined a policy of imposing fines only against stations that were specifically the subject of a complaint. Although many people complained about both television and radio broadcasts, the viewer in Maine was the only one as of July 26 to be specific about the station airing the uncensored remarks and the time of the broadcast.

The complaints come amid a debate over the FCC's intensifying crackdown on profanity over the past two years. In March, the FCC found that broadcasting the word shit was unacceptable, even if used only once. The decision expanded on a 2004 finding that NBC Television's live broadcast of the 2003 Golden Globe awards was indecent because the U2 singer Bono had used the word f***.

A group of broadcasters is challenging the FCC's profanity regulations in court amid debate within the commission over limits on indecent language. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has cited a jump in the number of complaints filed each year as a reason to act. But others, such as Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, have expressed concern that the FCC's policies may go too far.

Stiff new fines for airing indecent programming are helping fuel the debate. In June, President Bush signed into law a measure that imposes a penalty on broadcasters of $325,000 per violation, a tenfold increase from the $32,500 penalties previously in place. Cable and satellite service providers aren't subject to fines, which are levied on broadcasts aired between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

If the FCC pursues an investigation, the Republicans who dominate the agency will be in the awkward position of focusing on improper language used by Bush, who nominated them. If the FCC declines, it will leave itself open to charges of playing politics and to complaints from broadcasters who will have more reason to claim that the FCC's indecency standards are inconsistent.

[Brilliant]

Personally, I think this is a good idea. The comment was not meant for public consumption. Serves 'em right for airing it.

They only did it to embarrass the President anyway.

[MadeInAmerica]

They should fine the broadcasters that AIRED it if anyone is going to be fined.

[HaveHadEnough]

While discussing political tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, Bush used the word shit.

Hey, watch your mouth.

[TonyWojo]

Can't they bleep it out and replace it with #2

[Still Thinking]

I wish I knew the context. In all likelyhood the usage was perfectly appropriate and the question is simply whether it was appropriate to broadcast it.

It would be funny if Bush were asked about using it, and he stood behind its use in context, saying "If the foo shits..."

[HEY4QDEMS]

While watching the Red Sox over the last month, I've been overheard saying shit plus a stable of much more colorful wsound bites.

[Froufrou]

Sounds like W is on the fecal roster.

[Brilliant]

That's what they want to do. Can't fine Bush, obviously.

[HEY4QDEMS]

The decision expanded on a 2004 finding that NBC Television's live broadcast of the 2003 Golden Globe awards was indecent because the U2 singer Bono had used the word f***

Ever try pronouncing "fasteriskasteriskasterisk"???

[HEY4QDEMS]

Sounds like W is on the fecal roster.

Would that be the "shit list"?

[Froufrou]

Is there an echo in here-ere-ere?

[Froufrou]

That be the one.

[Brilliant]

He said something like, "Hezbollah has got to stop doing this kinda shit..."


He obviously intended only Blair to hear it, and did not realize the mic was on.


I thought at the time that it was interesting that the media launched into him for saying it, yet they were broadcasting it all over the world. A fine would be appropriate in my opinion.

[MadeInAmerica]

AHhh, I thought they wanted to fine him...kinda like Howard Stern fines.

[BreitbartSentMe]

Shit happens - a lot
South Park breaks swearing record

South Park characters said the word 'shit' 162 in last night's programme - a record for US television.

The word is still surprisingly taboo on prime-time TV. A character in Chicago Hope said 'shit happens' a year ago, which is believed to be the first - and, until last night, the only time it had been used.

But South Park has done its bit to shatter that.

The cartoon even featured an on-screen counter to keep tally of the swearing - and the official Comedy Central website had even run a sweepstake on how may times the word could be shoehorned into the show.

After adverts, a half-hour episode of South Park runs at about 22 minutes - meaning an average of one 'shit' every eight seconds.

The episode featured the fictional HBC network, which used the word in a primetime show, thereby making it acceptable.

[oyez]

One of Bess Truman's friends confided in her, decrying Harry's over use of the word "manure". Bess replied, "Oh, you just don't know how long I had try to get him to use that word."

[lakeman]

the word was one of the most vulgar, graphic and explicit words relating to excretory activity in the English language

duh no shit

[gcruse]

Social conservatism ... the art of voting a town dry, and then moving. What goes around does, indeed, come around.

[Common Tator]

AHhh, I thought they wanted to fine him...kinda like Howard Stern fines.

Howard Stern has never been fined. The stations that carry Howard Stern were fined.

[D-Chivas]

Oh, my virgin ears!




(sarc)