FCC RELEASES ORDERS RESOLVING NUMEROUS BROADCAST TELEVISION INDECENCY COMP

[norml]

Here is the FCC's notice of the actions.


FCC RELEASES ORDERS RESOLVING NUMEROUS BROADCAST TELEVISION INDECENCY COMPLAINTS

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released decisions resolving over 300,000 consumer complaints about the broadcast of indecent, profane, and/or obscene television programming. In these decisions, the Commission addresses complaints about nearly 50 television programs broadcast between February 2002 and March 2005. The decisions respond to the public’s growing concern about the content of television programming. At the same time, they provide further information for broadcasters about the kinds of material that are and are not prohibited under the FCC’s indecency and profanity standards.

In the decisions, the Commission takes enforcement action against the broadcast of a wide variety of television programming. The FCC upholds its earlier decision against CBS for the broadcast of indecent material during the February 1, 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. The Commission rejects CBS’ claim that the pulling off a portion of Janet Jackson’s bustier to reveal her breast is not indecent. The Commission also holds that CBS consciously and willfully failed to take actions to prevent the broadcast of the material, and that CBS is responsible for the halftime show.

The Commission also finds episodes of “Without a Trace” and “The Surreal Life 2,” which contained numerous graphic, sexual images, to be impermissible under the Commission’s indecency standard. The Omnibus Order also finds indecent the broadcast of a movie containing a graphic rape scene and a talk show featuring a female guest who appeared in an open front dress. Finally, the Commission finds indecent and profane several television programs containing offensive language. Where material is found actionable, the Commission sanctions all licensees whose stations are the subject of viewer complaints filed with the Commission.
Finally, the Commission denies complaints regarding numerous other television programs. Although the complained-of material may offend many people, the Commission concludes that the material in 28 television programs involved was not actionable.

snip

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6316388.html?display=Breaking+News

[endarkenment]

1. American Taliban hard at work.

I am so relieved that my family will not be destroyed by the sight of a woman's breast. I am further relieved that I have the financial resources to subscribe to HBO and Showtime where I can watch excellent tv shows not currently under the control of our mullahs.

[norml]

7. FCC: CBS facing $3.6M fine for indecency

FCC: CBS facing $3.6M fine for indecency

JENNIFER C. KERR
Associated Press


WASHINGTON - A government crackdown on indecent programming resulted in a proposed fine of $3.6 million against dozens of CBS stations and affiliates on Wednesday - a record penalty from the Federal Communications Commission.

The FCC said an episode of the CBS crime drama "Without a Trace" that aired in December 2004 was indecent. It cited the graphic depiction of "teenage boys and girls participating in a sexual orgy."
CBS said it strongly disagrees with the FCC's finding.

The program "featured an important and socially relevant storyline warning parents to exercise greater supervision of their teenage children. The program was not unduly graphic or explicit," the network said in a statement.

The network can appeal the decision to the FCC. The company has 30 days to ask for reconsideration and provide an explanation as to why the network should not be held liable.

The proposed fine was among decisions from the agency stemming from more than 300,000 complaints it received concerning nearly 50 TV shows broadcast between 2002 and 2005.

Rejecting an appeal by CBS, the FCC also upheld its previous $550,000 fine against 20 of the network's stations for the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" at the Super Bowl two years ago.


snip


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/14107359.htm

[sasha031]

2. 300,000 consumer complaints

of cut and paste rapture ready loons.

they want to bring back the Ozzie and Harriet era, if it happens TVeee viewership will consist of that 25% RW fringe nuts.

[Ian David]

4. If that happens, I'm canceling my cable and starting a DVD-Duplicating Biz

[Ian David]

3. But "The Surreal Life" isn't broadcast, it's cable!

And they didn't even address the complaints filed against O'Reiily and The 700 Club.

[norml]

8. CBS Fined for "Trace" of Indecency

CBS Fined for "Trace" of Indecency

by Natalie Finn
Mar 15, 2006, 4:55 PM PT


Broadcast networks need to tread lightly around the F-word.

As in FCC.





The Federal Communications Commission addressed more than 300,000 backlogged indecency complaints Wednesday, including a charge against the CBS missing-persons hit Without a Trace.

All four big-timers--ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC--fell prey to the hunt for indecent content, with CBS leading the pack, as the FCC proposed fining the network and affiliates an unprecedented $3.63 million for a December 2004 episode of Without a Trace that featured teenagers engaging in orgy-style sexual shenanigans.

Even Howard Stern at his worst incurred only $3.5 million in penalties for parent-company Viacom.

The question of whether FCC chairman Kevin Martin's first broadcast indecency rulings would weigh heavily against the networks (former chair Michael Powell, who imposed a record $7.9 million in fines in '04, stepped down in March 2005) has been answered.

Martin, formerly a lawyer for President George W. Bush's presidential campaign, has called for steeper penalties since he joined the FCC in 2001. Bush endorsed a bill after Janet Jackson's breast-heard-round-the-world incident at the 2004 Super Bowl that would have raised the maximum per-violation fine to $500,000 from the current $32,500, but the legislation petered out in Congress.


snip


http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,18578,00.html

[MadJohnShaft]

5. Who was the right-winger we wrote the FCC about a while back?

I got a response letter the other day there was insufficient evidence, or some such non-answer.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. What happened to the two complaints I filed? One was against

Russ Limpball and I forgot who the other foul-mouthed RWer was.