Indecency Regulation

Chairman Martin's Press Conference 4.24.08

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 24, 2008 - 8:21pm
Last updated: April 25, 2008 - 7:47am

FCC Chairman Martin had lots of good news when he met the press Thursday: 1) more notice about FCC meeting agenda's, 2) more work on creating a nationwide emergency communications network, 3) regulatory relief for AT&T, and 4) continued support for cable leased access rules.

Fox Asks FCC to Reconsider Indecency Petition Rejection

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 23, 2008 - 7:13am

Fox asked the Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau to rethink its decision not to consider Fox's challenge to indecency fines against 13 stations for an April 7, 2003, airing of Married by America that showed some pixilated body parts of bachelor-party revelers.

You Won't Get Fined for Saying 'Frak'

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 23, 2008 - 7:12am

You can't say that word on TV -- or can you? No one on broadcast TV is supposed to be able to use the four-letter profanity that starts with the letter F and signifies sexual intercourse.

Indecency cases stuck in legal limbo at FCC

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 14, 2008 - 7:27am

As federal judges consider pivotal cases about what constitutes offensive TV and radio broadcasts, an expletive might best describe the state of the federal government's enforcement of indecency rules. It's all bleeped-up.

Brownback Urges FCC Not to Approve XM-Sirius Merger

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 11, 2008 - 8:52am

Former presidential candidate Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas.) wrote Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin Thursday asking him not to approve the XM Satellite Radio-Sirius Satellite Radio merger. Sen Brownback said the Department of Justice made a mistake when it found nothing anticompetitive about the merger and warned against allowing a combination of companies "peddling obscene and indecent material."

Feds: We will meet June IPv6 deadline

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 9, 2008 - 7:21am

Federal government officials are confident they will meet a June 30 deadline to support IPv6 on their backbone networks, but they see challenges ahead in transitioning their production networks to this long-anticipated upgrade to the Internet's main communications protocol.

PTC Files FCC Complaint Against 'Top Model'

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 8, 2008 - 8:21pm

The Parents Television Council has filed an indecency complaint over CW’s America’s Next Top Model for showing a nude model and is encouraging its members to file complaints with the Federal Communications Commission.

Fines on broadcasters are not censorship

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 8, 2008 - 8:15pm

Federal Communications Commissioner Tate does not believe the role of the FCC is to act as a censor. However, courts have confirmed FCC authority to sanction broadcasters that air indecent material.

Sen Clinton's Media Stance

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 7, 2008 - 8:09pm
Last updated: April 7, 2008 - 8:10pm

Hillary Clinton’s history as a senator, First Lady and private advocate may reveal some of her policy preferences when it comes to regulating media. Her longest held media positions center around child-related issues.

Fox headed to court to overturn indecency fines

Submitted by Benton Foundation on April 7, 2008 - 7:17am

Fox Broadcasting said on Friday that it would go to court to try to overturn indecency fines imposed on 13 Fox television stations after the Federal Communications Commission declined to reconsider the fines.