what is the point of the fcc?

[jred321]

i understand that there needs to be some legislation regarding communications in the country, but as far as content goes, why do we need an fcc? it's our tax money going to pay a committee to tell us what is decent and allowable on the air, and we have no say at all in what they deem decent or indecent. does this make sense? take howard stern for example. i don't agree with everything he has to say or how he says it, but i love listening to him. but because he uses sexually suggestive language and themes sometimes, that's wrong and he deserves to be fined? who turns on that show not expecting to hear stuff like that. if people don't want to listen, they won't tune in, he won't make money, and he'll go off the air. why do we need to pay people to do this? so little kids whose parents never taught them better won't hear it? **** that, learn how to be a parent, don't punish everyone else. when i was in australia i heard them saying "s***" on tv (i think it was cable). was i offended? nope, it's just a word. who cares? in europe, they show boobs on tv. OH NO! BOOBS!!! WHATEVER WILL WE DO??!? better fine em. this whole concept seems stupid and a huge waste of money to me

 

[katsmp3]

have u ever heard Mancow.. he's out of chicago i think and he's on fox and friends each morning. He played a vulgar song last year and was fined like $60,000. If he played the same song this year, he'd be fined over $500,000.

really stupid.. Its more evidence that people cant be parents by themselves anymore, they need a government agency to regulate what their kids listen to

 

[jred321]

i've never heard mancow, but i was just reading on the recent $1.5 million they fined stern, along with some other >$1million fines they've given him recently. seems pretty rediculous to me

 

[sttl013]

The FCC is very necessary to control and register radio frequencies so that Redneck Bob doesn't fire up 50,000 watts of Freedom Rock on the same frequency overpowering, say, the Police Communications. I don't know how legally they became in charge of CONTENT on those frequencies, but thats whats happened.

 

[jred321]

right, that's what i'm sayin. they should be around for that, but why content? doesn't make sense

 

[StarvingRussian]

Mancow is on Q101, or at least he was.

FCC should regulate frequencies and s*** but shouldn't censor s*** and fine people. Ballsuckers.

 

[laracroft]

Damn, apparently pissing in someone's wheaties is not a crime yet....

 

[katsmp3]

yeah, that bill has become law.. That's why he's been getting hit so hard.


and um.... if congress and senate passed it... and then bush vetoed it.. senate would still probably have come back with two thirds vote..so i dont think we can blame everthing on bush

 

[Greg S]

Let me preface this with the swtatement that I don't agree with the way the FCC controls things, but lets look at the opposite side of the coin.

There wouldn't be any need for them to patrol what is said if disc jockey's would be able to control themselves. They know what is allowable and not allowable but push the envelope for shock value and the hope that more people will listen in anticipation that they will do it again or something similar. If that's all that gets people to listen to them, well that's a totally different problem. Personally I don't like most morning radio DJs. Since they can't seem to control their mouths to what has been decided to be allowable then someone has to enforce it and in such a way as to make them not want to do it again. Same basic reason we have police, as a society we have decided that there are certain things that everyone can live with and others that we can not and since not everyone will follow the rules someone has to enforce those rules.
as for having a say in what is and isn't decent we do, it's called voting. Yes it takes a long time to change things for either good or bad as it is a very slow process to take something from a grassroot movement to something that will have an effect at the national level but if it really that important to a majority of the people it can and in most case will be done. Take woman's rights and slavery as two examples. I'm not saying they are the same level as decency laws but the principle is there. If you feel really strong about the way the FCC runs things then do something about it, call your congressman, state legislature or someone. If you don't feel that stongly about it then don't worry about it.

 

[jred321]

if people don't like what a dj is doing, they won't listen, and the dj won't be on any more. what they are saying i, as well as many others, don't deem offensive. to those that do, don't listen. we don't need a government body using up tax dollars doing it for us. kids can turn into hbo and see and hear anything, why is the radio different?

it seems like this change at the national level happened pretty quick... also the head of the fcc is an appointed position, so we get no say in that and how they use their power. the problem with calling congressmen/women or senators (state legislature will do no good, this is a national level), is that they won't listen. the only motivated people are the ones who care and b**** about every little thing, so they get listened to. the people who this effects are lazy, so their demands are never expressed.

and voting doesn't work if there are no candidates worth voting for, and no way to get necessary funding for a candidate that is worth voting for...

 

[yashooa]

howard stern was talking about how there's a new bill that passed both congress and the senate that would allow for fines up to half a million dollar per incident if someone utters something "indecent" on the air, but at the same time the fines for people dumping toxic waste in our nation's water supply are a few tens of thousands of dollars


good going America. **** you all that voted for Bush, and **** you all that will vote for him again.

Time to pack our bags and go to Canada.

Hey, last time I checked the House and Senate were split and it took the majority of them to pass that dumbass bill so make sure you spit a bit of that venom John Kerry's/Democrats way as well, of course he would have to actually BE THERE to vote on an issue but that is another story (boom07)

 

[SpicyMchaggis]

right behind you kpabap..besides, it'll be a cheaper, more effective cross-country rally.

 

[laracroft]

All I know is there was a HUGE difference between the shows of the 70/80's/90's compared to the ones of today. Songs.... same thing. I still remember when "Like a virgin" from Madonna and "I want your sex" from George Michael created an uproar. That's tame compared to the crap you hear now. I used to watch 'The Greatest American Hero' or 'Lavern and Shirley', 'Airwolf', 'Different Strokes'... now shows like 'Nip/Tuck' curse, show nudity, etc. are on. Dont get me wrong, it's kinda a good show, but it's way to racey for my taste. It should'nt be on public TV. They should include it on HBO or something.