Due to the complaint lodged by an individual in 1978, the FCC was allowed to sanction broadcasters on what was deemed as indecent material. After listening to a radio broadcast with his young son, in the middle of the day, the man placed what proved to be a valid complaint. The broadcast was 12 minutes long and contained seven expletives- language the man found to be offensive and rude while he listened with his son. The sanction was allowed due to the court’s opinion that broadcast media was widely accessible and available in children’s lives. More than 30 years later, broadcasters are still held to that standard.
Parents have relied on these standards since then, trusting in the laws that are placed there to help shield young children from language and images that may be unsuitable, graphic or sexual in nature. It would not be a stretch of the imagination to say that parents agree with the ruling and sanction.
This sanction also has the present-day support of the Parents Television Council and other family-oriented non-profit groups. Started in 1995, the Parents Television Council, or PTC, has actively sought to inform parents on television content and ratings, allowing parents to decide what is acceptable viewing material for their children. It has been stated by this organization that parents have grown weary of sitting with their children to stand guard over all of the programming, or having to be tech-savvy to use available technology for Parental Controls.
However, since the sanction did not cover what the FCC considers to be occasional use of an expletive, networks and other groups are challenging the ruling. They state there is no proof that hearing expletives are harmful or damaging to a child. Furthermore, they state that it is unconstitutional to put more sanctions on broadcast content than cable TV material. Also, that the rules are vague because they allow profanity in certain content like Saving Private Ryan, but not in others. These networks, FOX in particular, feels that it violates the first amendment and freedoms of speech not to allow profanity in other areas, as well. The challenge includes, but is not limited to, allowing previously sanctioned profanity and brief nudity before 10:00 pm. These networks want more freedom for expletives and nudity during the hours that are accepted as child viewing hours.
This challenge comes with a new ruling from the FCC that would ban any expletive that deals directly with sexual or excretory activities. This also includes mention of organs that would be used in or during these activities.
The new ruling came in response to several different incidents committed by several different well-known stars on network television. Bono, the lead singer for U2 stated an expletive during his acceptance of a Golden Globe award in 2003. Cher used profanity in her personal opinion of the people that were derogatory towards her career at the Billboard Awards in 2002. Nicole Richie was mentioned as repeatedly speaking profanely during her description of removing cow manure for an expensive purse at the 2003 Billboard Awards.
|