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Free Speech Follies

June 5, 2007 at 06:57 | Print This Post Print This Post

If you follow media in the U.S., you know that one the issues that has confounded commentators for years now is the FCC’s approach to indecency in the Bush years. In that time the Bush Administration has rolled back the clock on indecency standards, and has (some would say, deliberately) created a confoundingly ambiguous standard for what can be said on TV and radio, and what can not. How remarkable then, in this age of partisan Courts in the U.S., to see a Federal Appeals Court not merely toss out an FCC indecency ruling, but also generally challenge the FCC’s power to police speech in this way. And how wonderful to see the resulting elation on the part of media observers. And how predictable to see the FCC Chairman, Kevin Martin, get downright snippy over the whole thing.


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2 Responses to “Free Speech Follies”


  1. Emily (1 comments.)
    June 5th, 2007 at 15:50

    You raise some good points in your post. Here are some facts that you might find interesting. An overwhelming majority of Americans (91%) object to government deciding what they are able to watch on television. When activists talk about protecting children instead of parents—here’s what they’re talking about: sixty-eight percent of the country’s 110 million television-viewing households do not include children under age 18 and households with children have different challenges to face due to the varying ages of kids within each family. Currently, there are 11 million households with children age 6-11, 15 million households with children age 0-5 and 9 million households with children 12-17.

    TV has come a long way from the days of three channels and rabbit ears antennas. Today’s TV audiences are putting to use broadband, DVRs, TV video on demand, iPods and cell phones to greatly expand their choices about what, when, where and how to watch TV. New technology means consumers have more selection than ever and more control than ever over what they see on TV. We all have more choices and parents have more tools to ensure their kids only see what’s right for them. Let’s let parents decide—not government, for all of us.

    There is more information to be found at http://www.TelevisionWatch.org