Continuing threats to free speech
At yesterday’s Senate Commerce Committee hearings on decency, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin continued to threaten cable and satellite with regulation — read: government censorship:
Martin warned that if cable providers didn’t police indecency themselves, broadcast standards could potentially be extended to cable and satellite operators. Companies could be forced to create a family-friendly tier of channels, he added, or they might be required to offer channels individually.Stevens added that if the indecency problem could not be resolved, “we’re going to see a bill that many of you will not like, and we are going to be in litigation for many months.”
That would be unconstitutional as hell, but that won’t stop him and the committee members from trying.
And I warn again: What comes after regulation and censorship of cable and satellite is the internet.
Get ready for the dump button on your blog.
Tags: Howard_Stern
November 30th, 2005 at 11:37 am
Porno on PBS:
http://www.ricksteves.com/about/pressroom/activism/pixel.htm
Apparently showing nudes from a museum in Europe is making bland host Rick Steves worry about fines. I think the censorship horse has already left the barn.
November 30th, 2005 at 11:41 am
Honestly, I think the FCC’s censorship is ridiculous, but if their answer to indecency was to require cable to offer channels individually, I’d be their biggest fan.
November 30th, 2005 at 12:17 pm
Fuck the FCC.
November 30th, 2005 at 12:31 pm
Easycure:
Eric Idle said it best…
http://www.pythonline.com/plugs/idle/
November 30th, 2005 at 12:46 pm
Hmmm, it looks like the hearings were chaired by Stevens from Alaska. I wonder if he made the broadcasters swear-in at the begining of the hearings or not…
November 30th, 2005 at 10:42 pm
I guess this is another reason not to get all worked up about Stern moving to Sirius - along with the fact that I would have to pay $12.95 a month to hear him live only 4 days a week since he is taking Fridays off.
December 3rd, 2005 at 12:59 pm
Here’s something a little idea from left field… is there any chance we could get Martin and Stevens and the other thugs prosecuted for racketeering? If they want to carry themselves like mobsters, then it’s high time they get treated AS mobsters. It certainly wouldn’t hold up in court, but they’d be spending hours in litigation defending themselves of the charges… just like they expect broadcasters to be spending time in litigation. And the PR alone might be enough to get that corrupt bastard Stevens to lose his next election.