Variety: Congloms to pols: Not a f***ing chance (FCC Decision)

[villager]

Congloms to pols: Not a f***ing chance
Orgs urge FCC reversal on Bono decision

By SUSAN CRABTREE


WASHINGTON -- The media are striking back. Viacom/CBS, News Corp./Fox and several Hollywood guilds are among those leading the first organized charge opposing the feds' anti-smut crusade.
The Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild of America, the Directors Guild and the Recording Industry Assn. of America also have joined to petition the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its most recent decision against U2 frontman Bono.

Under pressure from watchdog groups and the public, the commission in March overturned its earlier ruling that the singer's "fucking brilliant" exclamation during 2003's live Golden Globes telecast was not, in fact, indecent. FCC topper Michael Powell pushed the agency to change its decision and made it clear it would set a new precedent, namely that any use of the f-word would be verboten in broadcasting.

<snip>

"It's up to the FCC," said Robert Corn-Revere, a prominent First Amendment attorney who filed the petition for the various parties. "They now have the opportunity to take a look at some of the legal arguments and get a sense of how their ruling is having an impact on broadcasting decisions." At a recent media luncheon, former FCC topper Dick Wiley warned the agency about crossing swords with Corn-Revere, who has won several high-profile broadcasting cases before the Supreme Court and said he's confident of another victory if the current crackdown winds up there.

"The commission's aggressive crackdown on 'coarse' speech has sent shockwaves through the broadcast industry, and the lack of clear guidelines, coupled with threats of draconian administrative action, has forced licensees to censor speech that unquestionably is protected by the First Amendment," Corn-Revere wrote in the petition.
The document goes on to cite evidence that Washington's efforts to clean up the nation's airwaves is already having a chilling effect, as broadcasters scurry to avoid crossing the fuzzy indecency line.

<snip>

Here are the companies, orgs and individuals petitioning the FCC regarding its most recent Bono decision:

American Civil Liberties Union
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Beasley Broadcast Group
Citadel Broadcasting
The Creative Coalition
Directors Guild of America
Entercom Communications
The First Amendment Project
Fox Entertainment Group
Freedom to Read Foundation
Margaret Cho
Media Access Project
Minnesota Public Radio
National Coalition Against Censorship
National Federation of Community Broadcasters
Penn & Teller
People for the American Way Foundation
Radio One
Recording Artists’ Coalition
Recording Industry Assn. of America
Screen Actors Guild
Viacom
When in Doubt Prods.
Writers Guild of America


article is from a subscription site: www.variety.com

[villager]

1. one kick...

[Lorien]

2. And a similar story here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x498353

Interesting that Faux is among the signees. A little "buyers remorse", perhaps? I'm just waiting for Clear channel to finally recognise that backing * and Micheal Powell is simply not in their best interest.

Let's pray that the media strikes back by taking away the free pass they've given the Bush* cabal!

[villager]

3. did catch the Post version...

thanks!

Yeah, only when BushCo starts to cost the Corporadoes money, will they turn against them...

[Teaser]

4. Nice Rorschach!

Love the avatar.

[villager]

5. hurm!

(and thanks! Though really, I guess all credit is due to Messrs. Moore & Gibbons, in this instance...)

[Moderator]

6. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x498353