Viacom, Others Petition FCC to Relent on Obscenity Ruling
by Rusty Pugh and Jody Brown
April 26, 2004
(AgapePress) - A pro-family activist says some big broadcasting companies, who just weeks ago had promised to "clean up" the nation's airwaves, are now welshing on their promises.
The infamous Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident brought to a head an issue that pro-family groups have been fighting for years -- obscenity on radio and television. Following the Super Bowl incident, there was a substantial amount of publicity, with broadcasters promising sweeping new changes and a willingness to work the Federal Communications Commission.
But that attitude now seems to be changing. Broadcast giants Viacom, Fox Entertainment, and RadioOne are now joining the liberal group People for the American Way in asking the FCC to rescind its ruling against an on-air expletive -- the "f-word." Also joining in the petition is NBC, whose January 2003 broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards included use of the expletive by entertainer Bono.
Specifically, the groups are asking the federal agency to remove any penalties -- such as major fines or license revocations -- associated with use of the expletive or any other word the FCC commissioners do not like.
Randy Sharp | |
Randy Sharp is director of special projects for media watchdog American Family Association. He says Viacom and the others are out of line -- and out of touch with the American people."Basically, Viacom and [its] chairman Mel Karmizan have gotten too big for their britches in America," Sharp says. "They think they're too big to listen to millions of concerned parents, they're too big to listen to federal law -- and I believe they need to be reined in."
Among other entities, Viacom owns MTV and Nickelodeon. Sharp describes MTV as "very offensive"; and the latter, he says, is exposing children to the homosexual agenda.
Legislation is making its way through Congress that would impose greater fines on broadcasters who violate the FCC regulation on obscenity and indecency. On an overwhelming vote of 391-22, the U.S. House approved a bill that would increase the maximum fine from $27,500 per violation to $500,000. The Broadcast Decency Act (HR 3717), which has been endorsed by the White House, also calls for revocation of the broadcaster's license after three violations.
A Senate version of similar legislation (S 2056) has passed through committee but awaits action by the full Senate.
