WB Censors Its Own Drama for Fear of F.C.C. Fines (show's creator objects)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: WB Censors Its Own Drama for Fear of F.C.C. Fines
By BILL CARTER
Published: March 23, 2006

Concerned about the recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission to fine television networks for material deemed indecent, the WB network will broadcast a new drama next week that it has censored over the objections of the program's creator.

But first, the network will offer the uncut version of the pilot episode on its Web site, starting today — a further example of the new strategies network television may be pursuing, both to escape government-imposed restrictions and to find alternative ways of reaching viewers. It is the first time a network has offered on another outlet an uncut version of a program it has been forced to censor.

The show, "The Bedford Diaries," was created by Tom Fontana, whose long résumé includes award-winning shows like "St. Elsewhere" and "Homicide" for network television and the far more graphic prison drama "Oz" for HBO, a pay-cable channel with no content restrictions.

The pilot episode of "The Bedford Diaries," which concerns a group of college students attending a class on human sexuality, had already been accepted by WB's standards department. After the F.C.C. decision last week to issue millions of dollars in fines against broadcast stations, the network's chairman, Garth Ancier, contacted Mr. Fontana and asked him to edit a number of specific scenes out of the show, including one that depicted two girls in a bar kissing on a dare and another of a girl unbuttoning her jeans.

"I said no," Mr. Fontana said in an interview Wednesday. "I told him I found the ruling incomprehensible. He said the censor would do the edit."...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/arts/23bedf.html

[sarcasmo]

1. FCC wins, networks cowering to fear. Kick and Nom. Not many stood

up for Stern over the years and this is what they will get.

[rinsd]

2. Last night on Sons and Daughters,

they blurred out a guy's plumber's crack.

The let the joke about the crack and a woman's very personal manicuring habits sail right thru though. I guess they didn't get it.

[AndyA]

4. I remember seeing a workman's crack on Designing Women

years ago. It was no big deal back then, and the episode still airs in reruns on Lifetime, without alterations.

Oh my gosh...and those old Coppertone ads - GASP - where a child's behind is shown!!

It's easy to see why this country is falling apart with filth like that everywhere...

:sarcasm:

[rinsd]

5. One of the most famous gags on SNL's old days was plumber's crack!

Dan Aykroyd fixing the old Nordge for the Loopners.

[villager]

3. hmmm.... watched that pilot on DVD some months ago...

if that's what's terrifying networks now, content-wise, they will soon censor themselves into total irrelevancy...

[CBGLuthier]

6. 2 girls kissing?

That's bigoted BS.

If kissing is OK then all kissing, regardless of gender should be OK.

I would leave those scenes in and fucking dare the FCC to rule against it.