Comments on: FCC lets one go by.

FCC lets one go by.

beezy — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 10:44:53 -0800

FCC Denies PTC's complaints. (Salon article, get daypass or bugmenot) The FCC succinctly denied (pdf) the 36 count complaint from dismayed Parents Television Council. We've talked about previous decisions here and here - could this be a light at the end of the tunnel?

By: jikel_morten

jikel_morten — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 11:24:16 -0800

I hate to be the stick in the mud re bugmenot, but is it appropriate to recommend using bugmenot on a pay site? I hate useless registrations to read the NYT or whatnot (and I love bugmenot for that purpose) but to avoid payment to a site seems to be on a different level. Sure, I used to download things I don't, um, own, so I'm not coming at this from the "moral" angle, I'm just saying that maybe it's not something to advertise? I dunno... Maybe it's just me

By: Bugbread

Bugbread — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 11:50:36 -0800

Actually, there are no bugmenot logins registered for Salon Premium (makes sense, as it costs money, and then any other jackass who logs in can change the password and lock you out). I don't know of any pay sites with BugMeNot, for that matter, for the same reason.

By: jikel_morten

jikel_morten — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 11:55:18 -0800

Oh ok. Non issue. Thanks

By: jnthnjng

jnthnjng — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 11:57:25 -0800

interesting how the end of the press release (from the 'dismayed' link) contains a little bit of campaigning for who they think should be the next FCC commissioner.

By: odinsdream

odinsdream — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 12:11:03 -0800

As an alternative to Salon's registration, visit the story you intend to read, then visit http://www.salon.com/news/cookie.html ... it's like a daypass without all the fun of the advertisements.

By: mudpuppie

mudpuppie — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 12:17:24 -0800

Light at the end of the tunnel? No. These complaints were denied because they don't meet the FCC's obscenity criteria, not because the FCC is lightening up. That many of the complaints are 2+ years old and that they were all released in a single press release is most likely a sign that the FCC wants some of the attention it's gotten to go away. (This is the first "good" press they've gotten in a while, even though it pissed off the PTC and others.) Brownback and Lieberman have just introduced a bill to increase the maximum indecency fine from $35,000 to $350,000. It is expected to pass. The new chairman that the PTC is lobbying for, Kevin Martin, is pretty much a shoe-in. He is in favor of "per-utterance" fines, meaning that for a sitcom with 5 obscene slip-ups, the fine could be $350,000 x 5 x number of affiliates that aired the show. Martin also thinks that the FCC should have regulatory jurisdiction over cable and satellite networks. Alberto Gonzales has vowed to make prosecuting obscenity one of his platforms (although he's yet to spell out what that will mean). Networks are terrified of the current climate and are beginning to self-censor. (Which essentially means the FCC will be doing less enforcement, but that doesn't equal light/end of tunnel.) So. Light at the end of the tunnel? Nope. New era with more of the same. ("More" being the operative word.) /pedantry

By: m@

m@ — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 12:21:21 -0800

17. "Will & Grace," November 20, 2003, 9 p.m. EST: a male character studying to become a nurse remarks to a male friend that he's taken his own blood pressure many times, to which the friend replies, "yeah, and how many times on your arm?" Later, the nursing student tells his fellow students that "he can name all the bones in the human penis." 30. "Will & Grace," November 6, 2003, 9 p.m. EST: a male character with a very strong attachment to his mother describes the greatest tragedy of his life as "the day they yanked me from the breast of that saint." A female character, Karen, has a grudge against a woman named Lorraine; when Karen locates her, she says "I could do to her what she did to Stan ... have sex with her until she dies. Yep, that's what I'm gonna do." She then knocks on a door and says, "Open up, Lorraine, and put on a condom." There is another scene in which Karen talks about "sex[ing] the life out of" Lorraine. Certain characters say the words "bitch," "bosom," and "whore." The show also contains several scenes in which male characters talk about kissing men and female characters talk about kissing women. I'm dismayed by the PTC's lack of effort here. They couldn't find anything else about W&G to be dismayed by? I could do better than that. The show also contains several scenes in which male characters talk about kissing men and female characters talk about kissing women. It almost seems like this show is somehow about homosexuality. That can't be though, can it?

By: Reverend Mykeru

Reverend Mykeru — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 13:01:39 -0800

The PTC are a bunch of dicks

By: eatitlive

eatitlive — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 13:17:16 -0800

Power dicks.

By: KirkJobSluder

KirkJobSluder — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 13:18:41 -0800

15. "One Tree Hill," November 18, 2003, 9 p.m. EST: in a school hallway, a male character tells a female character, "I've got something for you," and she replies, "I know you do, gorgeous." He then gives her a book, telling her she might want to "check it out," and she replies, "Oh, I definitely want to check it out. I suppose I could read the book, too." 27. "One Tree Hill," October 28, 2003, 9 p.m. EST: one female character is depicted putting her lips to a hose that had been inserted into a gas tank. Seeing this, another female character quips, "Had a lot of practice? Siphoning gas, what'd you think I meant?" I thought that the whole point of inuendo is how to communicate something lewd without sounding obscene.

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 13:41:12 -0800

I hate Will & Grace. Not because I find it offensive. Well, I find it an insult to my intelligence and am offended in that way, but I don't find the subject matter offensive. The writing is juvenile, flat, and I think an example of why people say tv sitcoms are terrible. However, I'm aware that I'm in the minority. Supposedly the Nielsen family really loves Will & Grace, so my opinion is not relevant. I thought Firefly, VR-5, Strange Luck, Angel, Millenium, Lone Gunmen, Adventures of Brisco County Jr, and Early Edition were all great tv shows, and they all got cancelled. Most recently I've been enjoying Medium. I doubt it'll be renewed because my enjoying something seems to be the kiss of death for any show. Except CSI. Nothing can kill CSI. Now, rather than create a hokey group like the PTC and try to get shows I don't like off the air, I just watch something else, or wonder of wonders, sometimes I turn off the TV and read a freakin' book. What a concept. Y'know if more people just kept their opinions of whether or not television sucks to themselves, the world would be a much better place. Although I'm considering starting up a PTC-like hokey group in order to get Hope & Faith cancelled. I believe it's a sign of the apocalypse that this show is still on the air.

By: graventy

graventy — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 13:58:54 -0800

Actually, Kirkjob, the point on innuendo is to sound obscene, without actually being obscene. "That's a mighty fine hose you got there. ... Garden hose, I mean. What'd you think I meant? Sicko."

By: rushmc

rushmc — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 14:41:34 -0800

criminals hire a prostitute to have sex with a horse What show did that? Most recently I've been enjoying Medium. I doubt it'll be renewed because my enjoying something seems to be the kiss of death for any show. Actually, it looks good so far.

By: neckro23

neckro23 — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 15:06:00 -0800

Holy crap. Nobody show these guys Are You Being Served?, or PBS is doomed.

By: mrgrimm

mrgrimm — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 15:43:03 -0800

I hate to be the stick in the mud re bugmenot, but is it appropriate to recommend using bugmenot on a pay site? i hate to derail (and i know it's not even an issue since bmn doesn't have subscription passwords), but what's the difference between skimping on giving the NYT your email address and personal info and skimping on giving Salon $X a year? or watching a large ad? (i guess i'm assuming you think giving your email is worth something, or you wouldn't use *bugmenot* at all ... ). on topic, no, it's not the light at the end of the tunnel. As the cartoon boy removes his towel and enters the shower, his buttocks are briefly depicted. Coppertone?

By: First Post

First Post — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 16:17:29 -0800

criminals hire a prostitute to have sex with a horse That was "Keen Eddie", originally on Fox IIRC; heard Bravo shows reruns. Great show, musical score by The Orb, too good to actually last. The lead guy, Mark Valley, is on "Boston Legal" now--also an entertaining show.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 16:53:52 -0800

DENNY CRANE!

By: darkstar

darkstar — Wed, 02 Feb 2005 10:46:50 -0800

LOL @ neckro23!