House Votes to Increase Indecency Fines

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- The House overwhelmingly passed legislation Thursday substantially increasing the maximum fine for radio and TV indecency.

The vote was 391-22. Similar legislation is pending in the Senate.

"I am tired of hearing parents tell me how they have to cover their children's ears," Rep. Joseph Pitts, R-Pa., said during debate on the measure. "Today, we're saying enough is enough."

The bill would raise the maximum fine for a broadcast license-holder from $27,500 to $500,000. The fine for a performer would jump from $11,000 to $500,000.

Edward O. Fritts, president of the National Association of Broadcasters, noted that the industry has already scheduled an indecency summit for March 31.

"Voluntary industry initiatives are far preferable to government regulation when dealing with programming issues," Fritts said. "NAB does not support the bill as written, but we hear the call of legislators and are committed to taking voluntary action to address this issue."

more.........

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-indecent-programming,0,3805074.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[qb]

1. Oh, and if you want to know what "indecency" is,

just ask Michael Powell. He knows it when he sees it.

[demon67]

2. Indecent is right

This vote was indecent. 391-22. Where were the Democrats?!?!?!? Are there only 22 people in Congress willing to defend the First Amendment? What could be more chilling to free speech than allowing an all-rethug government to unilaterally decide, after the fact, what it deems "indecent" and empowering it to then impose half-million dollar fines. This sounds like something out of a totalitarian regime -- which, I guess it is, but where are our folks on this one?

We spend untold billions to remove the Taliban from Afghanistan only to elect them to the US Congress. I expect this from the religious right, but where are our representatives? Someone, please, tell me.

[snippy]

5. Good thing this does not apply to C-SPAN.

[demon67]

3. Hello out there . . .

apparently no one in Congress or at DU is much interested in free speech on the airwaves. (Ironic, since we are on the cusp of launching a progressive radio station.) Help me understand why no one else seems concerned about the chilling effects of this bill? Maybe if I titled my post "JANET JACKSON's BREAST" it would draw more of a response. I am completely blown away by this vote and by DU's apparent indifference to same.

[Momof1]

4. I have been thinking about this

Isn't this just the final nail in the coffin of ABC, CBS, & NBC, and radio as we know it?

As long as we have the remote control, we can turn the channel and watch South Park and they are not affected by this bill.

Radio listeners can go to Siruis and listen to whatever they want. I don't think this bill will really do anything except take viewers and listeners away from the traditional stations.

But that is just MHO

[demon67]

6. Thanks for the reply

I appreciate your thoughts. In part, my problem is that radio is a crucial mass medium -- largely because it is free and ubiquitous -- and only a small percentage of Americans have (or can even afford) sattelite radio at this point. This bill will allow Michael Powell or some other repuke stooge to decide what all of us can listen to. Yesterday, it was Opie and Anthony. Today it is Howard Stern. Tomorrow, who knows?

This is more than another incremental step toward Big Brother. In my mind, this is a milestone that will reverberate through our culture for years to come.

[leesa]

7. I guess they have nothing better to do. Two illegal, immoral wars,

magnificent human rights violations by the US, one illegal overthrow of a nation and another going for its third attempt, the economy tanking with no hope of recovery because the jobs are being outsourced for next to nothing wages, which means no one will be able to buy the crap which means the businesses will fail, the treasury has been looted by the administration and their corporate masters....but we are SAFE from the scourge of Janet's breast...except that the corporate whores who payed to put Janet's breasts on the air are only kidding.