Stevens Touts Progress On TV, Radio 'Indecency'

[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
What was I thinking yesterday morning? I forgot to include a link to the Senate Commerce Committee's hearing on decency. Now you've missed hearing Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) declare victory in the battle over transmitting material deemed unsuitable for families on television or radio, whether delivered by broadcast, over cable or via satellite. He took credit for industry developments leading to new options for households served by 70 percent of pay-television providers. One such development came at the hearing when EchoStar CEO Charles Ergen unveiled the satellite company's family tier of 40 channels for $20/month. Sen Stevens noted that he had been criticized for resisting a Senate Commerce Committee vote on House-passed legislation to up indecency fines on broadcast television from $32,500 per incident to $500,000. He said the House bill would be too strict on broadcasters and performers and would not address the significant issue of indecency on cable television. Thursday's hearing featured at least two strands of argument: what parents and other viewers expect when it comes to curbing "indecent" broadcast material, and what obstacles are keeping pay-television providers from offering family-friendly bundles of channels.
There's lots of coverage of the hearings, links to stories below.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-PUVB1137702406629.htm...

* Decency
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1698

* Protecting Children on the Internet
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1699

* Stevens: Let Market Test Family Tiers
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6300810.html?display=Breaking+News
(requires subscription)

* Congress takes issue with family TV tiers
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20060120/indecency20.art.htm

* Industry Pledges to Publicize V-Chip, Program Blocking
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=10018...

* NAB: Give Content Control a Chance
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6300668?display=Breaking+News...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

* Valenti: Parents Already Can Control Indecency
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6300594?display=Breaking+News...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

* SAG: Limit Indecency Bill To Station Fines
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6300666?display=Breaking+News...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

* Rating system urged for adult Internet content
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID...

* Entertainment Industry To Push Blocking Technology
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113770597598651158.html?mod=todays_us_ma...
(requires subscription)