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America’s
broadcast airwaves belong to the public. Since the first days of
radio, the government has permitted broadcasters to use the
airwaves, providing they operate “in the public interest.” That
public interest requirement prohibits “indecent” material from
airing before 10 p.m. The PTC makes sure that the government
enforces that provision. Whenever a broadcaster airs a show
containing indecent content during hours when children are likely to
be watching, the PTC demands that the government uphold established
broadcast decency laws by urging its members to file complaints with
the Federal Communications Commission.
In 2008,
the PTC was active in urging Congress to strengthen the FCC’s
enforcement authority and to give Americans the ability to purchase
only those cable channels they actually watch, so that they no
longer have to subsidize cable programming they find offensive. The
PTC was also active in mobilizing members to support efforts to
prohibit the sale of M-rated video games containing graphic violence
and sex to minors.
Most of the
PTC’s efforts on the public policy front in 2008 were devoted to
battling the entertainment industry’s attempts to subvert the
American legal system.
In June of
2007, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the FCC’s
ruling against the Fox broadcasting network for airing profanity
during an awards program, essentially clearing the way for
television networks to use the “F-word” and “S-word” in front of
children at any time of the day. In November of 2008, the Supreme
Court heard arguments in this “fleeting profanities” case. The PTC
filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Federal
Communications Commission’s Congressionally-mandated power to fine
broadcasters for indecency on the publicly-owned airwaves — and
backstopped the current law with research showing that the use of
profanity has increased over 1000% on broadcast TV in the last 10
years!
Early in
2008, the 3rd Circuit declared that Janet Jackson’s breast-baring
striptease during the 2004 Super Bowl — a performance which shocked
millions of unsuspecting families and children — wasn’t indecent
either! The PTC opposed this ruling, stating that “Once again, a
three-judge panel has hijacked the will of the American people. The
court’s opinion goes beyond judicial activism; it borders on
judicial stupidity.” With the encouragement of the PTC, in 2008 the
United States Senate unanimously passed the Child Safe Viewing Act
sponsored by Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) – thus sending a clear
message to the television networks that our elected
representatives, and the American people, support laws against
indecency on their airwaves.
For more information
visit our
Cable Choice
campaign page
and our
Broadcast
Indecency
campaign page.
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