To paraphrase Napoleon: Glory is fleeting, but obscenity is forever (OK…he said “obscurity” is forever, but you get the point).
While glory may come and go, the US Supreme Court is examining whether fleeting obscenities. The FCC started taking notice (and doling out fines) when U2 front man Bono dropped the F Bomb on live TV at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards.
When singer Cher used the same expletive at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards, the FCC basically said “I got you babe” to FOX which broadcast the event. After several twists and turns, the case landed in front of the Supreme Court Tuesday.
Read the whole story.
While glory may come and go, the US Supreme Court is examining whether fleeting obscenities. The FCC started taking notice (and doling out fines) when U2 front man Bono dropped the F Bomb on live TV at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards.
When singer Cher used the same expletive at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards, the FCC basically said “I got you babe” to FOX which broadcast the event. After several twists and turns, the case landed in front of the Supreme Court Tuesday.
Read the whole story.
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13 comments:
Seems like an arbitrary difference if Saving Private Ryan can drop f-bombs all day long, but Bono can't curse for the first time in his life. im just glad we dont have a unregulated network that connects all of our homes, thats easily, and argueeably more accessed by kids, giving children access to whatever their heart desires no matter how filthy or obscene. Oh shit the internet came out 10 years ago. looks like were screwed on controlling what kids see-scott
there are a lot more things on television that are worse than slipping and saying "bullsh***er" on the early show. watch an episode of nip/tuck and count the number of times they show "man ass", or how many times they say god d*mn, s**t or b**ch. south park is one of the raunchiest shows around, yet their "cop drama" episode said the word s**t 162 times uncensored, and they are still on the air doing episodes with much more offensive content than this. ricky and lucy had separate beds, but the real world can show sex in night vision. cable has more freedom than networks like cbs and fox. if people want to filter content, then use a 6 second tape delay like radio, or start using parental controls on televisions. saving private ryan may be filled with expletives, but it can be edited. all networks can employ these techniques so things like the events previously mentioned aren't seen by little children or people who deem it inappropriate...
...eventhough big bird dropping an "f bomb" would be fuckin' sweet!
s.o.a.p.
I think its a good idea to filter language during certain times of the day. Its not exactly unnecessary and if it for some reason is, put the show on at a different time.
-Jack
First of all, broadcast television channels are free. Anyone with an antenna can receive it. This should be the most content regulated medium out there. Cable television channels are paid for by the consumer and therefore should have some more freedom in broadcasting indecency. I believe that if obscenity such as a curse word or a nude scene is shown on broadcast channels, then the person committing the obscenity and the television station should be fined. I also believe that after the hours of midnight on cable television channels, obscenity could be shown because most young children are in bed by that time. It is the responsibility of these television stations to edit content for all viewers at certain times of the day. Obscenity is not "fleeting" if a parent or child gets offended by what is shown or said on broadcast television. It's all about perception. If someone is offended then they have the right to complain and something must be done. I have to agree with Carter Phillips about the program blocking technology. If properly applied, it works. Bottom line is that the FCC needs to get thier regulatory practices in line. They are being quite arbitrary in how they determine what should be punished and what is fleeting.
Aaron
In my opinion I think the FCC is doing a good idea in filtering out bad language. I mean if you have young children watching these programs and you see Nicole Richie and Cher dropping the F bomb at the 2002-2003 Billboard Music Awards then the TV station should be fine for the comments they made.
MP
Content should probably always be regulated between say 6am-11pm since that is the time period when most are probably watching television (at any given point), but I think that it shouldn't afterwards. Late night content should be left in tact, with maybe a disclaimer at either the beginning or after every break for people who stumble upon it. Too much editing of a program can really I find take away from the plot or the theme of the show(ex. HBO's The Sopranos on A&E). I really don't have a problem with the Cher or Bono ordeal since it came completely out of the blue during a primetime awards show, but this really is a touchy subject that can have many interpretations. Not of which can really be deemed wrong.
-Chris Powers
First of all who's to say what's normal and not normal. Are Bono or Cher any different then the average parent who might slip with an oh s**t or your an A**hole or even WTF. It's easy to look outside the box but start with the home. How many women get Victorias secret in the mail and leave it on the coffee table or sports illustrated.(this isn't hidden under the bed, its read in the f***ing john). In 1873 the Comstock Act was passed to filter obscene literature. Well back then showing anypart of the human body was obscene. It wasn't until the sixties where we first saw the belly button on national television. The sexual filming of children is in no way ok. This takes away the innocence of a child and in my opinion opens up a future of confusion and promiscuity. What does a person say when asked why do you look at naked children having sex? Obsenity on tv is in the beholders eye. As Supreme Court Justice William Douglas argued it should be protected by the First Amendment because it is a matter of taste. So in the mean time if anything is offensive don't read it, rent it, or watch it if it offends you. And for crying out loud the only way to prevent what our children watch only until bedtime is to take the Fucking (oops) tv out of the bedroom
I think that they should filter what is on TV during certin time of the day when children are mostly watching. But also that is why they have parental control on TV now. And i also think the news is that bad to a point.
im feeling a little confused. F*** is probably the strongest curse word out there. Sure there are others that sound worse, but in my opinion, it's the worst. In songs and in Tv now, its okay to say Shit or Bitch, but its not okay to say F***. Granted most of the shows I am speaking of, have mature rating or are on late at night. Maybe they have different standards that they are held to. I feel like if a celebrity wants to say F***, let them. We know we can't look up to them to be that good of role models now a days anyway....
--Lys
I think that they should filter what is on TV during the day. Many families have children home during the day and obscenities are inappropriate to be aired during those times. Save it for late-night-TV.
I agree that the person committing the "obscenity" should be fined. They should have the common sense as to not let those things "slip."
There should be a time period during which networks will be fined for airing obscenities, but the FCC needs to decide what is indecent and what isn't. You can't fine an award show for airing the same word you are airing in a movie 2 days later. If there aren't defined boundaries it's not fair to the network. I agree with Aaron, since basic channels like Fox and ABC are free they should be the most regulated. - Deneen
I was doing a lesson on censorship in another class, and we had to comment on what we thought about this too. the way i see it, everyone uses words like "fu-k" in every day language. like it doesnt mean anything. I understand it probably shouldnt be done around kids, but i dont think its nearly as offensive as it was years ago.
T.A.
I don't know that examining the usage of obscenity on a case to case basis is necessarily fair and balanced. While some may see social value in saving private ryan and the fact that their swearing makes the atmosphere mor realistic and high intensity, others may see social value in Bono cursing because it humanizes him and makes him more relatable.What makes one group of people eligable to censor a means of expression?
NP
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