Posted on 12/16/2004 11:14:18 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell has recommended the agency ignore indecency complaints filed against ABC television stations that aired the film "Saving Private Ryan" that included at least 20 uses of the "f" word during prime time viewing hours.
Many of those complaints were generated by American Family Association members.
According to Donald Wildmon, American Family Association Chairman, Powell's reason for taking no action opens the door for broadcasters to air anything. Powell stated that the use of profanity was part of an accurate representation of the events making them acceptable. "Using Powell's reasoning, there would be no limits regarding what could be shown and the law regarding indecent material would be null and void, " Wildmon said.
"If Powell can get only two other Commissioners to agree with him, then the networks and local broadcasters will be free to show anything. Everything they show, no matter how indecent could be classified as being an accurate representation. That is what they have been wanting for years. Powell is only two votes away from giving the broadcasters their desire.
"Chairman Powell has a sworn obligation to enforce Broadcast Decency laws. His lobbying other commissioners to disregard the law as well to the satisfaction of ABC executives is a betrayal of the public trust. Certain language on the public airwaves is a violation, regardless of the entertainment value he may perceive it to contain.
"We realize it is important for families, especially our children, to recognize the sacrifices made by our loved ones during wartime. However, airing excessively profane language during prime-time television hours is not necessary to convey that sacrifice. We believe ABC should have aired their salute to heroes without violating broadcast decency laws."
AFA is urging Congress to get Powell to fulfill his obligations to the public and enforce the law.
Next...Scarface and Glengarry Glen Ross
In my opinion, anyone that thinks Private Ryan's language or violence is "innaproriate" is a damn fool. Either watch a very realistic account of a critical point in American history (which is so damn rare in today's media), or don't. Certain things rise above the normal rules.
So it appears that the stations that chose not to run it were justified, as the AFA did indeed file complaints. Don't these people have anything better to do?
If I were in combat I'd be using the f word all the time (when I'm just in rush hour traffic, it's a staple in my vocabulary.) But I do wonder, is there really the need to let the f word be audible? You and I know what's being said. Perhaps, if the f word was inaudible, we could weed out the "indecent words" and a child could view the film and not be subjected to the f word...just the horrific blood, guts and shear trauma of war....
(sigh) I'll say it again--ABC wasn't televising "Debbie Does Dallas." It was the first truly realistic look (for the most part) at a pivotal time in the history of the world.
Have you ever seen"The Longest Day"?
Have you ever seen "Patton" on TV?
There are ways to do handle this.
i voted for dubya 2x, but this is just plain stupid.
you see, wait until the next democrat fcc and there will be some changes in the so-called fairness doctrine that folks who listen to talk radio will not like.
i view freedom of speech as inviolable.
"Put that coffee down. That coffees for closers".
Was there ever any doubt they'd file such complaints? It doesn't matter, though, since the FCC can choose to either listen to or reject such complaints. You and I could raise all kinds of hell about the indecency of "Muppet Babies," but that doesn't mean the FCC will do anything about it!
I disagree. Put it on cable or air it in a later time slot. Otherwise, buy the DVD. This opens a can of worms and the last thing I need is a Spike Lee movie about "real life in da hood" complete with colorful linguistics aired in it's original form under the protection of the "Private Ryan Amendment".
Oh please. More early Hollywood fluff. I'd seen both of those before "Saving Private Ryan," as had many others, and there's no comparison as to the realism of the latter over its predecessors.
"In my opinion, anyone that thinks Private Ryan's language or violence is "innaproriate" is a damn fool."
It simply comes down to what type of language we wish to use, and hand to our impressionable children.
Picture a six year old, with Mom in the grocery checkout line. The little one says: "Make my f*****g day."
Mom nods, and encourages the young one to finish the movie dialogue they watched last night at 7:00 PM.
Different settings and age roups, for language colorations, please.
Keep the language clean, for primetime TV.
Yeah, the horrific part would be a lot better for children than the fword, or a nipple....
"By golly, sarge, a darn bullet just shattered my darn hand."
"Certain things rise above the normal rules."
True, in emergency situations. Otherwise, why bother with rules at all?
This is not an emergency.
LMAO!!!!!!
Patton ain't fluff! A poetic treatment of a fascinating figure.
It's my belief that, if a parent wishes to expose their adolescent to real history, then make sure it is real. As for a seven year old picking up the F-word from watching SPR at 10pm - well, with parents that slack, they probably know it anyway.
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