Someone stop the FCC!
Yes all right, FCC is useful. But with Mr Kevin Martin as the chairman, I fear the Federal Communications Commission could be in danger of overdoing it if it listens to the lobbyists opposing indecency everywhere on a scale where the health board of a city cannot put up a billboard warning people about safe sex practices due to a recent syphilis epidemic. Obscenity laws I can understand and support, but when the FCC fails to properly even define indecency and just provides umbrella statements when people write for explanations, somebody needs to get their act together. A new bill by Fred Upton (R) requires the commission to hold a hearing to consider revoking the broadcast license of any station that has three indecency violations. A bill recently introduced (by both a Republican and a Democrat) would increase the maximum fine to $500,000 and allow the commission to double the fine if the material was scripted, prepared in advance, etc. The fines for indecency are likely to choke off many independent broadcasting companies, paralyzing their broadcasts in case they say a single word by mistake that could make them bankrupt. I would like to know the FCC's reach will not extend to the Internet, and that it will become better-defined and more reasonable. Until then, I'm going to sit tight and enjoy my First Ammendment.