This Week in Censorship
By Sarah Carlson
April 24, 2007
The Federal Communications Committee will make recommendations to Congress, to be released in a report within the next week, on how it can "enact legislation to give the government unprecedented powers to curb violence in entertainment programming, according to government and TV industry sources. The Federal Communications Commission has concluded that regulating TV violence is in the public interest, particularly during times when children are likely to be viewers -- typically between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., FCC sources say."
The report concludes that Congress has the authority to regulate violence on TV, though it is vague on the definition of "violence," and goes so far to say that the government can even control what appears on basic cable channels, which customers pay for. The FCC concedes that parents are the "first and last line of defense in protecting their children," but that giving Congress more legislative powers over what the parents' children see is beneficial to all. The times of most concern to FCC officials are the times when children are likely to be viewers -- typically between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
First, that's practically the entire day. Adults only get the middle of the night to watch engaging dramas? Second, when I was growing up, I had a bed time up until middle school and had certain times when I had to turn my TV off or couldn't talk on the phone. I didn't have my own TV until I was in my early teens, when my parents trusted me to make the "right" decisions on what or what not to watch. Sure, I hated them for parental controlling out MTV until I was 13, but I got over it. They were being parents, and I grew up on the joys of Nick@Nite and the Disney Channel; I got to be a kid.
Let the FCC mess with broadcast cable if it must, but not basic, and certainly not extended basic channels like HBO or Showtime. "The Sopranos" for 10-year-olds? How about not letting your kids watch "The Sopranos" in the first place? My vote is for the a la carte plan: "According to FCC sources, the report's recommendations include the creation of an "a la carte" system that would allow consumers to buy only the cable channels they want -- a favorite plan of [FCC Chairman Kevin] Martin's that is widely opposed by cable companies." That way, if parents are set on controlling what their kids see but refuse to turn the TV off, they can pick and choose their channels.
In other news, Russell Simmons (pictured) and Benjamin Chavis, leaders of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, encouraged recording and broadcast industries to "voluntarily censor the 'misogynistic' words 'bitch' and 'ho' and the 'racially offensive' N-word from future recordings." The Don Imus dustup has spurred activists in the black community to turn their attention to rap and hip-hop lyrics that degrade women.
"'We recommend the formation of a music industry Coalition on Broadcast Standards, consisting of leading executives from music, radio and television industries,' Simmons and Chavis said on behalf of the HHSAN, an advocacy group dedicated to the cultural relevance of hip-hop music. 'The coalition would recommend guidelines for lyrical and visual standards within the industries.'"
Previous Entry:
« Check Out the New Digs
Next Entry:
Concert Round-Up »
Comments
This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below -- responsibility lies with the relevant reader alone.