Eye on F.C.C., TV and Radio Watch Words

[hang a left]

May 10, 2004
Eye on F.C.C., TV and Radio Watch Words
By JACQUES STEINBERG

he reverberations from this year's fiasco of a Super Bowl half-time show are reaching every corner of the broadcasting world, and not even the viewers of "Masterpiece Theater" are immune.

The producers of "Masterpiece Theater," intent on staying in the good graces of a Federal Communications Commission increasingly vigilant for instances of indecency, took a step last month they never had before. They chose not to make available to PBS member stations an unexpurgated version of the critically acclaimed British series "Prime Suspect," and instead sent out two edited versions: one with all of the salty language edited, and another with only some of the possibly offending words excised.

Taking similar cues from regulators, an Indianapolis radio station pre-empted words like "urinate," "damn" and "orgy" from going out over the air during a recent broadcast of Rush Limbaugh's talk show.

And classic rock radio stations have felt compelled to prune their playlists, striking songs like Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" and "Bitch" by the Rolling Stones.

snip
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/10/business/media/10FCC.html?ei=5043&en=8ee98b6de933620d&ex=1084852800&partner=EXCITE&pagewanted=print&position=

[yardwork]

1. I noticed that Prime Suspect was bowlderized.

Damn, that pisses me off.

Gonna come get me, FCC? A$$holes.

[Gopens]

2. So, when do we start burning the witches?

This hysteria makes me sick.

[Momof1]

3. yeah, I have noticed less "offensive" things.

And a lot more Bush bashing things. I forget exactly, but what was said on the Soprano's tonight?

[Democat]

4. People are offended by Janet's boob but look at the rape and torture pics!

This country is fucked?

[Citizen Daryl]

5. Correction:

We're f**ked. The f**king f**kers have f**king f**ked us.

[lostnfound]

6. Do these rules apply to call-in shows (i.e, the callers)?

I worry about Pacifica.
These fines would be disastrous for them, and it would be so easy to cause problems.

[dbt]

7. I Call Bullshit!

Radio is scared shitless of fines and Notices of Apparent Liability from the FCC. You can't even hear 'caca' or 'peepee' on your average shock-jock morning shows anymore.

But TV ain't doing jack about cleaning up its act. Case in point: last week's episode of Third Watch on GE (NBC). I counted seven utterances of "son of a bitch" in under half an hour.

It was TV that started this whole "indecency" clusterfuck, but it's Radio that's getting the punishment! And it bears pointing out again that the FCC has not given Shit One about indecency on Radio or TV since the Holy Deregulation under Saint Reagan--better than 20 years ago.

I guess it's just coincidence that this Cleanup Crusade is occurring in an election year innit?

:argh:
dbt