PBS Conflicted Over Adult Language in Ken Burns' 'War'

[EV_Ares]

This is why we must elect a Democrat -- any Democrat -- to be President next year. We're being governed by a regime heavily beholden to fundamentalist Christian interests which would, if allowed, be just as repressive as the Taliban was in Afghanistan:

in a program that San Mateo aired at a time when children were expected to be in the audience is shocking."
Scorcese replied in a letter to the FCC last year that he had "deep concern over the adverse impact that the FCC's actions will have on the creative process generally."

Why did the FCC pick on tiny KCSM? Because a single viewer complained about it.

"All it takes is one viewer to complain," said Marilyn Lawrence, KCSM's general manager. Given the $200,000 in discretionary spending the station has in its $5 million budget, Lawrence said $15,000 isn't an insignificant amount. Although the station is appealing the fine, KCSM remains skittish about attracting the FCC's attention again.

For a recent art history show it aired, the station instructed its producers to airbrush the nude behind of the Venus de Milo statue. While KCSM has restored the full contours of Venus' marble behind in subsequent airings, it still precedes the program with a "Viewer Discretion Advised" warning that states, "The following program is a college-level telecourse and may contain subject matter intended for mature audiences."

The station also still pixelates bare body parts in movies like 1967's PG-rated "The Graduate" - even when the movie is aired as part of a film-history telecourse. The station is so scared about profanity leaks that it bleeped out a person cursing in German in an English TV program it aired.

"Now, my staff spends at least half a day a week looking for those types of things," Lawrence said.

Details here from Joe Garofoli of the San Francisco Chronicle.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/26/MNCARP3OJ.DTL

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. The ASHCROFT legacy......nt

[SpiralHawk]

"Do not look at this image" - Ashcroft

"Only Evil Doers will want to gaze upon the fulsome, hot, breasts of Justice -- You don't see Godly Christian Republicon Homelanders like Sen Craig (R) lusting after these luscious, thrusting breasts, do you? No, lusting after gorgeous, tasty, throbbing boobies is a liberal, um, thing, or whatever"

- Ashcroft

[OwnedByFerrets]

4. LMAO!! that was good SPiral

[NC_Nurse]

2. Oh fer Pete's sake!

I suppose it should be:
Darn, a missile just hit my best friend!
Jeepers, someone call a medic!"


:wtf:

If you don't like reality-based TV - don't watch.

[Gruenemann]

3. KLRN (San Antonio) will air UNCENSORED version

They had to send out blank tapes to have the uncensored version copied, but we'll get to hear all the *&%$#@ profanity!

[Benhurst]

5. Grow up, America. You, too, PBS. Soldiers, even Marines, have

been known to use naughty words. Jeez! Get a life.

[Bitwit1234]

6. Since male public bathrooms have urinals

do you think they will cover them because a part of the male body might be exposed. And then people will be aghast that men have IT.

[lpbk2713]

7. Start off the broadcast with a few of Uncle Dick's epithets

Just to be 'fair and balanced'.

[slampoet]

8. PBS didn't even flinch when Ken Burns skipped all the Jazz made after 1969 that wasn't by a Marsalis

Why should PBS care if Ken Burns shows WWII as cuss free?


Frankly, Burns lost me completely by not including Weather Report, or any of the Jazz Fusion, none of the vocalese revival, none of the Swing Revival of the late 90's, none of the Miles Davis hip hop efforts, no Sun Ra, and none of Bobby McFerrin.


I care about censorship but Ken Burns is the last person on PBS that i would stand up for.


I fully expect annother "Greatest Generation Handjob".

[monmouth]

9. WXEL will be showing the "cleaned up" version. I flipped when I saw that...