Decency In Media – Act Now!

Don’t Let the Proposed Media Decency Bill Die Next Week in the Senate! Act Now Before It’s Too Late

by Steve DeVore

Following Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction”, public outrage has sparked FCC commission hearings and a flurry of legislative activity designed to help American’s reclaim their airways for decency. The legislation would severely punish broadcasters who violate indecency laws but the bill is now in jeopardy and unless the senate votes on the bill in the next few days, it will probably suffer a silent ignominious death.

Kansas U.S. Senator Sam Brownback sponsored Senate Bill 2056 “to increase the penalties for violations by television and radio broadcasters of the prohibitions against transmission of obscene, indecent, and profane language.” 

Broadcasters have responded to the proposed legislation. First, they said they would self-police. The legislation isn’t necessary. They would give their local affiliates, without reprisal, the right not to broadcast programming that was considered offensive to local viewers.

Then, they resisted. They have unfurled the banner of the First Amendment and utter the usual buzzwords: free speech, censorship and "creative integrity."

(Note: This “creative integrity” argument comes from NBC president Robert Wright, who wrote a bold editorial in the Wall Street Journal claiming television networks are the titans of "creative integrity," and must not be protested. "Ultimately,” Wright wrote, “we have much less to fear from obscene, indecent or profane content than we do from an overzealous government willing to limit First Amendment protections and censor creative free expression. That would be indecent,"  [“The Big Chill” by Robert Wright, President NBC Network, Wall Street Journal, Monday, April 19, 2004].  Of all of the broadcast networks, NBC is the worst offender when it comes to sexual, violent, and profane content.)

And finally, they threaten to sue for the right to continue to merchandise sleaze if the government begins to regulate the public airways.

Why, after all the public outrage, the fiery senate hearings, the promised crack-down on media indecency via legislation, has the fury died?  I believe it is a combination of political opportunism (grandstanding), public apathy, and big money

The Super Bowl drew 140 million U.S. viewers. Over two-thirds of these viewers are not frequent watchers of network television. On a good night, network television draws about 44 million viewers. The non-watchers were not aware of how tawdry network television had become. When they were exposed to a concentrated dose, they were appalled and outraged. They spoke out and demanded action.

We are now currently in an election year. Savvy politicians saw an opportunity to jump on the “decency in media” bandwagon and ride the public wave of outrage. They held hearings, press conferences, and promised Americans they would once and for all clean up America’s television wasteland. By doing this, they got free publicity on the very media they were decrying.

Concerned about possible censorship, stifling of creative talent, and the potential loss of advertising revenues (billions of dollars) that titillating and salacious programming generates, the television network lobbying machine went into action. Remember, it’s an election year. Politicians need money to be re-elected and they need positive media exposure. Media can make or break a politician. The networks and their local affiliates hold the trump cards in a politician’s re-electability. In essence, media lobbyists say, “leave us alone and we’ll leave you alone…play ball with us and we’ll play ball with you.” What I am saying here is that we may be looking at a symbiotic relationship between politicians and media ownership.

Don’t Drop the Ball Now

But what about all this public outrage? What about the incensed citizenry –the angry critical mass of voters? Both politicians and media understand the cycle of public apathy. The public vents its outrage and delegates its desire to act to the politicians who promise to take action.  This promise placates the public.  Time passes and emotions cool. This passage of time allows the lobbyists to do their work. Nothing gets done. Separated by time from the initial inciting emotions, citizens soon forget the cause of their outrage, gradually begin to accept the status quo, and eventually embrace it. The networks then begin to gradually increase the intensity of sex, violence, and profanity until, like the Super Bowl, there is another blowout. Historically this cycle appears every four years. Is it only coincidence that this seems to correspond to the general four year election year? I don’t think so.

So, where are we at now? Senate Bill 2056 is languishing. Unless there is another public outcry and the outcry is now, the bill will probably die in the next few days. We need you to take immediate action to tell your Senators and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to vote on S. 2056 now!

If we are to be successful in our efforts to reduce the obscene, indecent, and profane broadcasts from the public airwaves, then the FCC must have the power to impose meaningful fines and/or revoke station licenses of broadcasters who break the law.  Senate Bill 2056 gives them this power.

I encourage the 400,000 -- plus Meridian Magazine readers to let their collective voice be heard by acting now before it's too late.

You can take action by going to http://www.cleantv.net/action/2056.htm.  And share this alert to everyone who shares your concern on this issue.