It's not just about content but who controlls content.
Putting Stern on Satellite does what? How is that different from radio?? Basically it's taking something away from people who can't afford it.
Is indecency invading the American home?
Pornography alone is a $17 billion industry in this country and we as Americans are freely inviting that industry to come break bread with us.
HBO and Soap Operas are being targetted. This isn't just Howard Stern. Victoria Secret isn't doing their fashion show on TV. I wonder what will happen to shows like Jerry Springer...or let's look at a show like Maury Povich which profits off of the backs of children with every "My daughter is a teenage slut" show it does.
We want the power to choose. We want to choose want we listen to, who we watch. We want the power to choose not just different products but different companies.
Give us back America!
Sign the petition!
-Rudey
Quote:
Originally posted by ktsnake
That's all fine and everything. At this point, however, the congress has already given almost unfettered power to the FCC in terms or regulating what is "decent" on the airwaves. It's the FCC, not Congress who decides who to go after for indecency. The FCC also gets to decides guilt. Want to appeal the FCC's decision? Appeal it to the FCC.
At this point, the only way you'll get the legislative branch to take power away from the FCC is if the FCC does something which is incredibly unpopular. Unfortunately, there is a large percentage of Americans (possibly a majority) that think it's about time the FCC did something to regulate people like Stern, etc.
My concern is that by kicking fines up to what they are, Congress has put us onto a slippery slope in terms of the FCC regulating what's on our airwaves.
There are, fortunately, alternatives to public airwaves such as digital radio, cable TV, etc. I think folks like Stern will find a happy home on XM or Sirius -- and people will sign up just to hear him. That's what'll happen though. The FCC will not be forced to do something incredibly unpopular. Shows that may be risky will be unloaded by companies like ClearChannel and then picked up for a bargain price by digital providers that fall outside the scope of decency restrictions.
I think networks like Fox, WB, etc. are in a pretty scary place right now. The definition of indecency is too broad. Today, it's JJ showing herself to the world. Tommorow, the guy getting racked on America's Funniest Home Videos might draw a fine. For the rest of us, it's just getting harder and harder not to go over to a cable/digital radio provider.
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