FCC: The bleeding edge of censorship?

[RawAlex]

Was the movie "Saving Private Ryan" obscene? Would it merit fines from the FCC? Apparently enough stations are worried that they are pulling a planned showing of the movie:

http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/11/news/fortu...dex.htm?cnn=yes

Mike, your team hard at work.

Alex

[Vick]

Alex

Please give a 3 day warning/notice if you ever choose to post something positive (especially pertaining to the USA), the shock might knock our socks off :P

Actually this is all part of the great American way. The moral pendulum is swinging to the right but before long it will start to move back left. Been going on here for a couple hundred years

and while I personally feel anyone should be able to watch (or make) anything they like as long as no one else is harmed in the process I can understand some concern about what is aired on television

[RawAlex]

Vick, that is the softest and least convincing support of the first amendment I have heard in a while. Tolerance of censorship is the first step towards blind acceptance.

The boy and his merry band of zealots does not leave much space for positive thoughts.

Alex

[Vick]

Alex - consider this

Remember years back when there was the PMRC? (Parents Music Resource Council - which Tipper Gore was involved in then, the very same Tipper Gore that later claimed to have partied with Grace Slick)

The PMRC made a big stink out of lyrics and even took their concerns to the Senate

What really happened for all their efforts at censorship?

CD's, records and tapes got a little warning label on them if the language was consider vulgar ........

..... and rap and rock-n-roll continue to push the envelope and have gotten more profane

the moral pendulum swings both ways, it all evens out and we continue to evolve with whatever sells leading the way

[Mike AI]

Saving Private Ryan is a great movie, one that all Americans should watch - unedited.

Of course the last anniversary for 9-11 none of the major news stations broadcasted the planes flying into building, the buildings collapsing, etc...

So I would say censhorship is alive and well on all levels.

[TheEnforcer]

Really pathetic that a movie like Saving Private Ryan is feared to be shown on TV for fear of being fined. Personally I think both this movie and We Were Soldiers should be REQUIRED viewing for every kid in the country.

[SykkBoy]

Originally posted by Vick@Nov 11 2004, 11:15 AM
Alex - consider this

Remember years back when there was the PMRC? (Parents Music Resource Council - which Tipper Gore was involved in then, the very same Tipper Gore that later claimed to have partied with Grace Slick)

The PMRC made a big stink out of lyrics and even took their concerns to the Senate

What really happened for all their efforts at censorship?

CD's, records and tapes got a little warning label on them if the language was consider vulgar ........

..... and rap and rock-n-roll continue to push the envelope and have gotten more profane

the moral pendulum swings both ways, it all evens out and we continue to evolve with whatever sells leading the way

yeah, but TV already has a labeling system in place, most cable companies allow parental blocking of some sort...

is anyone really going to stumble onto this movie and be shocked at profanity and realistic war violence (especially after ABC has said it'll have disclaimers)?

sure, the pendellum swings back and forth, but that means we're in for 4 more years of creative blandness and loss of artistic openness until we can get this fucker swung back....


As the father of 4 children, I take the time and monitor what my kids are watching and pay attention to the shows they like. Surely I can't be the only one? While I've been known to let my kids watch horror movies like Friday The 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, it's been on DVD/video so I can monitor them and if they are scared or there is something I object to them seeing, I, as a parent, can make that choice for them. If there is a program on like this that might disturb them, there are 300+ other fucking channels our tv can be tuned into...

Vick, this wasn't all at your post, just started that way and I rambled on ;-)

[RawAlex]

Vick, there is a clear difference between a group of (well connected) adults raising a stink and the actions of the current FCC chairman. The stations in question are self-censoring because they FEAR the results, not because of any direct ruling. The FCC has taken actions and leveled fines that are clearly leading to a curtainly of free speech.

The Labels that the PMRC had a clear hand in create were good things, not used to censor but used to inform parents and allow them to make decisions as to what their children will see. In the same manner, ratings and such on TV and movies allow parents to make educated decisions.

In this case, those parents will not get to make an educated decision because of the way the FCC is viewed - not as regulator but as a bully looking for the next pound of flesh.

The United States of "don't show that on TV".

Alex

[Vick]

Originally posted by RawAlex@Nov 11 2004, 01:30 PM
Vick, there is a clear difference between a group of (well connected) adults raising a stink and the actions of the current FCC chairman. The stations in question are self-censoring because they FEAR the results, not because of any direct ruling. The FCC has taken actions and leveled fines that are clearly leading to a curtainly of free speech.

The Labels that the PMRC had a clear hand in create were good things, not used to censor but used to inform parents and allow them to make decisions as to what their children will see. In the same manner, ratings and such on TV and movies allow parents to make educated decisions.

In this case, those parents will not get to make an educated decision because of the way the FCC is viewed - not as regulator but as a bully looking for the next pound of flesh.

The United States of "don't show that on TV".

Alex

Sykk - you hit the nail on the head squarely

Alex - you have forgotten, the labels were an appeasement to the PMRC, they wanted censorship also. Oh wait you can't say fuck on the radio or broadcast tv so censorship is already in place. Do you agree with that?

Have you ignored the Tipper Gore bit, her involvement with the PMRC? She was the wife of Democratic Presidential candidate Al Gore (the guy who invented the internet and gave us all our livelihoods as porn slinger ah ha ha ha)

Should Saving Private Ryan be able to be aired on broadcast TV? yes

Are you making too big an issue over it? Maybe, but it's still a good thing. We need all sides to any issue, no matter what our personal opinions are.

Will Alex ever post something positive in regards to the USA? Only time will tell

Bottom line - the USA is a consumer based economy - if it sells, look for more

[PornoDoggy]

Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia

Odd combination of states, IMHO. There's enough Bible-Belt states listed there who probably do have people that would complain about the language in the film. After all, John Wayne and Audi Murphy never found it necessary to use that kind of language.

[dig420]

Originally posted by RawAlex@Nov 11 2004, 01:30 PM
Vick, there is a clear difference between a group of (well connected) adults raising a stink and the actions of the current FCC chairman. The stations in question are self-censoring because they FEAR the results, not because of any direct ruling. The FCC has taken actions and leveled fines that are clearly leading to a curtainly of free speech.

The Labels that the PMRC had a clear hand in create were good things, not used to censor but used to inform parents and allow them to make decisions as to what their children will see. In the same manner, ratings and such on TV and movies allow parents to make educated decisions.

In this case, those parents will not get to make an educated decision because of the way the FCC is viewed - not as regulator but as a bully looking for the next pound of flesh.

The United States of "don't show that on TV".

Alex

it was wrong when Tipper Gore did it, it's wrong when Bush does it.

[RawAlex]

Vick, they wanted censorship, and I want a blowjob from a japanese singing idol babe. WANT without the power to get is just words.

The FCC has the power to fuck people up - they can levy fines that can literally wipe the profit out of a local market station in a blink. They can revoke licenses, and they can make life miserable for a broadcaster.

You can hear the jackboots as they come down the hallway...

There are VERY few things positive to say about the US right now, Vick. Someone I find personally offensive is the president. The currency is dropping like a rock. The economy is flat at best, and the US's standing in the world has gone from benign superpower to schoolyard bully.

Can you tell me what's good in that?

Alex

[dantheman]

Originally posted by PornoDoggy@Nov 11 2004, 02:27 PM
Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia

Odd combination of states, IMHO. There's enough Bible-Belt states listed there who probably do have people that would complain about the language in the film. After all, John Wayne and Audi Murphy never found it necessary to use that kind of language.

it's on here in T-town


My "opinion" of this whole deal is I think these ABC stations are playing a little game with the FCC, they know it's a high profile movie, it's been shown twice before so it's not something that is new. But it's a chance for the stations to poke back a little. It still sucks though
imho : )


Alex, tell us how you really feel about "our" country

[RawAlex]

Dan, what can I say? It's all out there, you can see it for yourself without the rose colored glassses.

I don't pretend that Canada is a paradise, we have issues and problems, but few of them are 'self inflicted wounds'. Friendly fire, indeed.

Alex

[PornoDoggy]

Originally posted by dantheman@Nov 11 2004, 02:52 PM
it's on here in T-town


My "opinion" of this whole deal is I think these ABC stations are playing a little game with the FCC, they know it's a high profile movie, it's been shown twice before so it's not something that is new. But it's a chance for the stations to poke back a little. It still sucks though
imho : )


Alex, tell us how you really feel about "our" country

I thought it might be some kind of game too ... but Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia?

If Massachusetts and Ohio were joined by New York, California, Washington, Orgegon, I might buy that.

BTW ... I despise virtually everything that Bush stands for. Does that make me anti-American too?

[dantheman]

Originally posted by PornoDoggy@Nov 11 2004, 03:10 PM


BTW ... I despise virtually everything that Bush stands for. Does that make me anti-American too?

no, there has to be winners and losers, makes it much funner that way. : )))


I'm not a huge Bush fan either, I've said it over and over, just wasnt a change in HELL that a traitor was going to be CIC..........maybe next time the other side can find someone who has a chance to win and do whatever it is that ya'll want to do.

[PornoDoggy]

Originally posted by dantheman+Nov 11 2004, 03:17 PM-->