FCC Gives 'Green Light' to Blue Material on Airwaves, Says Watchdog Group
by Mary Rettig and Jody Brown
March 1, 2005
(AgapePress) - A spokesman for a pro-family group says with its decision on Monday, the FCC has given broadcasters "the green light" to push the envelope on indecency on public airwaves.The American Family Association (AFA) is denouncing a unanimous decision by the Federal Communications Commission to reject thousands of indecency complaints about the broadcast of Saving Private Ryan. The movie, complete with numerous expletives -- a fact acknowledged by the federal agency -- was shown on ABC on November 11 as part of Veterans Day programming. Sixty-six of the network stations chose not to air the film for fear of violating FCC standards.
In making its announcement, the FCC noted the expletives and "other potentially offensive language" uttered by actors portraying soldiers in the film -- but felt the content did not violate indecency laws. "In light of the overall context in which this material is presented, the Commission determined that it was not indecent or profane," the FCC says in a press release. In addition, the agency says the violence depicted in the movie warranted no action on their part.
In a separate statement, FCC chairman Michael Powell says the ABC network made a "responsible effort" to warn viewers about the film's content.
"[I]t is the responsible broadcaster that will provide full and wide disclosure of what viewers are likely to see and hear, to allow individuals and families to make their own well-informed decisions whether to watch or not," Powell states. "Fair warning is appropriately an important consideration in indecency cases." And context, he adds, remains vital to any consideration of whether profanity or sexual content constitutes legally actionable indecency.
Randy Sharp | � |
The American Family Association says the FCC is wrong to reject viewers' complaints, more than 23,000 of which were sent by AFA supporters. Randy Sharp, director of special projects for the Mississippi-based organization, says the lack of action by the FCC is setting bad precedent. "The FCC has made a disastrous decision by allowing this type of language simply because a network gave a warning or made some good excuses to the FCC," Sharp says.He says the FCC's decision to reject complaints is opening a Pandora's box. "What this decision means is that Howard Stern and anyone else on radio can now take these clips -- as long as they say 'We're going to air Private Ryan dialogue' -- [and] air the 'f-word' over and over and over again without any fear of repercussions. The FCC now has approved the use of this type of language on the national airwaves."
Sharp says nothing the FCC will do from now on will change the precedent set by this decision. "The FCC has voluntarily placed shackles on their own ability to rule against the networks in future decisions regarding indecency," he says, "[and] the American public has been stripped of its recourse when faced with gratuitous language."
Congress is currently considering legislation that would greatly increase fines imposed on broadcasters who violate indecency laws. But Sharp contends such regulations toughening penalties are useless without a Commission that will enforce those rules and hold broadcasters accountable.
On the same day it made its decision on Saving Private Ryan, the FCC denied indecency complaints from the Parents Television Council regarding two other television programs: Arrested Development (Fox) and NBC's Will and Grace. The PTC agrees, however, with the FCC's decision on Saving Private Ryan, saying the content was neither gratuitous nor meant to shock.
