Reuters Summit-FCC's Martin ponders indecency on pay TV, radio

[rodbarnett]

NEW YORK, Feb 25 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators should consider whether radio and television services carried by cable and satellite must adhere to indecency standards, Federal Communications Commissioner Kevin Martin said on Wednesday.

Pressure has been building in recent months to address the growing coarseness on television and radio, with some lawmakers and regulators pondering whether the limits on over-the-air broadcasts can be applied to cable and satellite services.

Speaking to the Reuters Technology, Media and Telecommunications Summit, Martin noted that shock jocks Opie and Anthony, fired after a stunt involving sex in famous places, were now on satellite radio.

"I think you are hearing from the radio side the complaint that 'We'll live by whatever rules, but we think the rules have to be fair to everyone who is in this medium,' and you're hearing from the broadcast television side as well," he said.

"I think that's a legitimate issue, which is why I think we need to try to take a look on a wider survey," Martin said.

<snip>

The FCC has been clamping down on indecency incidents on television and radio in recent months, and the issues leapt onto the front burner after singer Janet Jackson exposed her bare breast during the NFL Super Bowl earlier this month, prompting promises of stiffer fines and demands for reform.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040225/tech_summit_indecency_1.html

comment : thanks janet!

[bluedog]

1. give me a break

pay tv? what don't they get???PAY..........you have the right to choose what you want to see...you PAY for it....don't like it..turn it off..got kids..use common sense and block the channels out when kids are around....this is turning into a damn freak show....government controlled TV>>>>

[sadiesworld]

2. Indecency= liberal political speech

It's coming.

[David__77]

3. No. Airwaves owned by government are different.

Obivously newspapers aren't censored, but airwaves are. Cable TV is not censored. The courts have said this is because the airwaves are publically owned.