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PTC Insider Article
March 2003
Letter from PTC President Brent Bozell
Concerning the FCC
Dear Friend of the PTC:
How many times have you seen something vile on
television and said to yourself, "They shouldn't be allowed to show that on
TV!" Well, the simple truth is – they're not!
What many people don't realize is that there
is actually a law against broadcasting indecent and obscene
programming, and Congress has given the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) the mandate to enforce that law.
So why is there still so much foul language,
graphic sex and violence on television? It's because the broadcast networks
know that the law is not being enforced. The FCC
has not imposed a single fine or other punishment on any TV station in the
continental U.S. in the entire history of its enforcement bureau. What
the FCC is saying, in fact, is that everything is acceptable – decent
– on television. They're saying there's nothing wrong.
What the FCC is not doing is
disgraceful.
Every day our children are being fed a steady
diet of garbage that the networks, in reality, shouldn't be allowed to
show. And the effects of that content on those impressionable youngsters
are devastating. Don't we owe it to our children to do everything we can to
shield them from that influence and to protect their innocence for as long
as we possibly can?
I know you agree with me. That's why you
became a member of the PTC.
The PTC has been leading the battle to clean
up TV for years, but we can't do it alone. If there's a government agency
whose job is to help protect that innocence, shouldn't we do
everything in our power to get them to do their job?
That's why last month the PTC launched a
massive, multi-year, nationwide grassroots initiative to demand the FCC do
its job. We're going to do whatever it takes to hold this agency
accountable for its failure to enforce the law.
We've given you several "take-action" ideas in
this month's Insider, and we'll keep you
apprised of our progress in upcoming issues. I'll also encourage you
to visit our website frequently
http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/fcc/main.asp for updates on our campaign, to file a complaint with the FCC online, and to
learn how you can get involved. I hope you'll join us in this important
effort.
Until next month,
L. Brent Bozell
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