Contributors
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A Bad Idea From the Start
Robert Thompson, Syracuse University
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The F.C.C.'s Policy Was a Mistake
Michael K. Powell, former F.C.C. chairman
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Where Is the Line?
Christopher Rosen, writer on television
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Help Kids and Families
Liz Perle, Common Sense Media
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Put Parents in Control
Adam Thierer, Progress and Freedom Foundation
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It's the Violence!
Kevin W. Saunders, author of "Violence as Obscenity"
A federal appeals court last week struck down the Federal Communications Commission's latest standards on profanity, obscenity and indecency. The court said the restrictions on "fleeting expletives" on radio and television violated the First Amendment because the policy, adopted in 2004, was vague and could inhibit free speech.
Will viewers notice a difference? It seems almost quaint to cite the hubbub over the Janet Jackson breast-baring at the 2004 Super Bowl or the trouble Cher got into in 2002 when she uttered a bad word on a live broadcast .
Cable television continues to push the boundaries of what is considered decent, and parents worry more about their children's Web viewing than they do about an occasional curse word on network TV. After last week's decision, which may be appealed to the Supreme Court, some critics predicted that networks might push for more provocative content. "Dexter," a Showtime series about a serial killer, is appearing in reruns on CBS, though heavily edited, and "Glee" has enough sexual indiscretions to rival those in the fare on cable.
Is the F.C.C.'s obscenity restriction for network television antiquated? If so, how do families set their own standards for decency on network television?
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