High court asked to reinstate FCC indecency policy

[The Northerner]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to reinstate a policy that allows federal regulators to fine broadcasters for showing nudity and airing curse words when young children may be watching television.

The administration is seeking the high court's review of appeals court rulings that threw out the Federal Communications Commission's rules against the isolated use of expletives as well as fines against broadcasters who showed a woman's nude buttocks on a 2003 episode of ABC's "NYPD Blue."

Last year, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York threw out the FCC policy, saying it was unconstitutionally vague and left broadcasters uncertain of what programming the agency will find offensive. The challenge to the FCC rules arose over celebrities' use of the F-word and S-word on live awards show programs.

In January, the same court said its ruling on the FCC policy compelled it to nullify a penalty of more than $1.2 million against ABC and 45 affiliates over less than seven seconds of airtime from "NYPD Blue."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gFuumjYZ8dX6WRFyvVKFA_4MgVcg?docId=77ca725779704cd393a7f5844259dfe1

[Renew Deal]

1. The Democrats are as bad as the republicans on this issue.

Particularly Lieberman, Hillary, and Tipper Gore.

[alp227]

2. I'm OK with that policy but not as gung-ho as the Parents Television Council/groups like that

The indecency policy is why edgier TV content gets saved for 10PM or later or edited other hours and is a compromise between outright censorship and anarchy. I think the whole "decency wars" are a distraction from the FCC's deregulation of media that resulted in a corporate takeover and downfall of localism and quality of news media.

[bowens43]

4. You're ok with the federal government limiting speech?

wow... I don't what to say. This IS outright censorship.

[alp227]

10. No, regulating TV/radio content does NOT end free speech.

the government has a compelling reason for SOME checks and balances when it comes to free speech, i mean do you not think that some parents never supervise their kids media use? that's why you can't watch rated R movies unedited on broadcast TV and need to use Netflix or something like that to do so. The FCC has to draw the line between being North Korea and allowing daytime soap operas to be uncensored, let's say. So that's why mainstream TV does bleeps and blurs.

[melm00se]

12. no, it's not limiting free speech

anymore than failing the Miller Test (for obscenity) is censorship.

[bowens43]

3. Obama has really been a disaster ....freaking disgusting. nt

[go west young man]

5. ole liberal Obama! Stuck in the 20th century with the repubes.

[alp227]

11. interestingly Brent Bozell predicted otherwise

in his idiotic, hypocritical column attacking the Obamas for regulating their kids TV use:

That's not to say the Obamas would suggest they're lazy in overseeing their children's television habits. "They can only watch the kid-TV channels for the most part, because you just never know," Mrs. Obama insisted. She said the two girls are allowed to watch television only on weekend, because the TV set is completely off limits during the week, on school nights.

That sounds fairly strict on a personal level. But on a political level, is that all the Obamas plan to offer on broadcast decency? Hey, "you just never know"? Why doesn’t Mrs. Obama apply the same attitude toward our children’s food intake?

(...)

President Obama is already campaigning for re-election, and maybe his financial base in Hollywood is the first constituency he doesn’t want to offend. With their words in the media, the Obamas want to paint themselves as tough parents even as they favor Hollywood over parents...

Well he got it wrong...and if he really preferred Hollywood over parents they'd be letting their kids view TV as much as the kids wanted to. And does Bozell not think that Mrs. Obama's "Let's Move" campaign is about personal choice on food as much as media? Even Mike Huckabee knows better.

[Zorra]

6. Why are people so freaked out about body parts? It's really senseless. nt

[Hawaii Hiker]

7. Totally disagree with this - This is the kind of honky tonk horseshit

I'd expect from a republican president, but not a liberal?? president like Obama...

Orange bang head man time - :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[greiner3]

8. Cussing out;

But all the violence, hatred and vitriol the media can stuff down the kids' throats.

Really screwed up values we have.

[bongbong]

9. Family Time

It is family time at the Smiths.

Mrs. Smith says, "I'm so glad they put these standards back into place! I'm scared our children might see something they shouldn't!"

8 year old Joey says, "Really, mom? They put those regulations back into place?"

Mom: "Yes! Thank god!"

Joey says, "I gotta go work on my homework", and then proceeds to his bedroom, locks the door, and fires up youporn.com on his laptop.

[guitar man]

13. Oh for fucks sake no!

My job is already hard enough as it is. Editing a movie for tv is not a perfect artform, sometimes things slip through unnoticed .
It's bad enough having to deal with self righteous ninnies calling the station because they heard a "swear word" on our broadcast of Goodfellas, dealing with FCC complaints and potential fines because the editors missed a "goddamn" over the course of an entire movie? No...,just ... No :(