U.S. FCC boss prods pay TV to do more on decency

[UpInArms]

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2005-11-29T181552Z_01_N29305919_RTRIDST_0_MEDIA-DECENCY.XML

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. cable and satellite television industry is not doing enough to help parents shield children from inappropriate content, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said on Tuesday.

He suggested that providers like Comcast Corp. (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and News Corp.'s (NWS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) DirecTV offer "family-friendly" packages of channels, permit consumers to pay for only the channels they want, or apply decency standards to subscription television.

"Thus far, there has been too little response" from the industry, Martin told lawmakers during a public forum on television content. "I think the industry needs to do more to address parents' concerns."

The FCC chief also said a study the agency issued last year -- showing that consumers would end up paying more if they were allowed to pick and choose the cable channels they subscribed to -- was flawed. He said an a la carte subscription TV service could be economically feasible.

...more...

background:

Bush chooses Martin as next FCC chairman

http://news.com.com/Bush+chooses+Martin+as+next+FCC+chairman/2100-1036_3-5620520.html

Martin, an FCC commissioner who was appointed chairman by President Bush on Wednesday afternoon, will be responsible for shepherding the agency through a major revision to U.S. telecommunications laws and an upswing in telephone calling over the Internet.

"I am deeply honored to have been designated as the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, and I thank President Bush for this distinct privilege," Martin said. Bush's choice of Martin, a 38-year-old lawyer who once worked for the Bush-Cheney campaign, was expected.

While Martin occasionally clashed with fellow Republican Michael Powell, the outgoing chairman, observers said the FCC's general approach toward broadband regulation and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is likely to follow the same broad principles.

Many of the FCC's technology-related decisions, such as a 5-0 ruling last year dealing with VoIP wiretapping, were unanimous. Others, such as media ownership and VoIP regulation, tended to pit the Republican majority against the Democratic minority--a political dynamic not viewed as likely to change.

After news of Martin's new job leaked on Wednesday, accolades soon followed. Martin "has a record of supporting the administration's broadband policy, and that is good news for consumers and the communications sector," said Tom Tauke, Verizon Communications executive vice president for public affairs.

...more...

Doesn't this attempt at regulation run smack into opposition of the "free market" drives all things mantra?

[onenote]

1. play to the base, baby

When in doubt, play to the base.

onenote

[UpInArms]

2. pretty cheesy, huh?

can you imagine the quandary?

Do we play to the xtians or the pro-business base?

[htuttle]

3. It's even more complicated for them than that

As another posting mentioned today, while the 'Focus on the Family' types want to go to 'ala carte' cable TV, religious broadcasters are terrified of that prospect. If religious broadcasters were on an 'ala carte' list, instead of horning their way into basic cable everywhere, their potential viewership would be reduced 1000%.

So sad. Too bad.

[UpInArms]

4. I think the 'ala carte" is a great idea -

what sane person would want that tripe dripping from the box in the corner of their room anyway?

[htuttle]

7. The main thing I worry about regarding 'ala carte' cable...

...is what would happen to public access channels.

Cable companies hate having to provide them, and are always looking for ways to short change their committments to carrying them. Public access TV is the only way a lot of people have to watch things like Democracy Now and a lot of independently produced films like the 'Un-' series ('Unconstitutional', etc...). I worry that an ala carte cable system would allow the cable companies to get out of their responsibility to provide a public access channel.

Other than that concern, I know I wouldn't waste half my dial on shopping and religious channels, if given the choice.

[UpInArms]

8. well, I would think that if it were "ala carte" there are those of

us that would put those public service channels on our menu (I would) - divesting my tube of religion, sports and shopping.

[BiggJawn]

10. The push would be made...

..but I doubt it would be successful.
Community and/or Public Access channels are not something the cable companies provide out of the goodness of their little stone hearts, they're made available because the franchising agency that gives them that license to print money every year requires it.

Every renewal, the cable operators plead poverty and claim they're going broke because of those channels they have to set aside for odd-ball programming and government access. And every renewal, there's a small and very vocal contingent of Citizens (read: Possible VOTES) pitching just as hard in favour of continuing the channels.

If we had Ala Carte, I'd take TCM, AMC, Food, Discovery, MSNBC, C-Span and TWC. They can KEEP Eternal Word and Muy Chi-chis Grande

[Yavin4]

5. This Is A First Amendment Issue. FCC Has No Jurisdiction

The FCC cannot regulate cable content. To do so would infringe on the First Amendment. The FCC can regulate broadcast television and radio because there's a limited number of licenses that can be given out, but there's no such limitation on cable and on satellite radio and TV.

Cable and satellite radio are in the same family as books and magazines. People choose to bring these items into their homes, and the fact that they have to pay for them is a clear sign of their consent. No one forces anyone to subscribe to HBO nor Howard Stern on Sirius.

[sendero]

6. GIVE ME A LA CARTE!

It is the simple "free-market" (don't the repugs love the free market?) solution. Then, I'll never have to send a DIME of my satellite cash to those stupid religious broadcasters and other useless dreck.

If people don't want racier programming, why should they pay for it either?

Really, implement a la carte and watch where the chips fall.

[Ganja Ninja]

9. a la carte would kill FOX news.

I guarantee if people were asked if they wanted to pay an extra dollar a month for FOX news they wouldn't get more than a million takers in the whole country.

[SoCalDem]

26. The racier programming is premium ..above & beyond basic cable

or satellite. There are packages that ADD them, but it's always for an extra fee..

All that's needed is a tweaking of the packages.

...

a la carte would mean the death of LINK, FSTV,IFC and most of the PBS channels.

You can bet your last buck that there would be wording inserted that would "allow" providers to drop any channels that were not "profitable"...

It pisses me off to "have to pay for Asian channels, church channels, shopping channels, sports channels, and children's channels". BUT I can just drop them from my "favorites" list and off my remote, so I don't even have to see them..

The "racy" channels are in a class by themselves.. Unless we PAY EXTRA for it we do not get any of them..

These irritating FCC people and legislators act as though Showtime & HBO are free..

Parents need to monitor their kids' TV viewing..It's just that simple. Latchkey kids need supervision, not the FCC Nanny to interfere.

[Trish1168]

11. Give me a break. They have parental controls on the channel changers

All you got to do is to set up the locks on shows or channels you don't want the kids to see (there's a code for parents when the kids aren't around).

This is base pandering to the religious freakazoids. They are afraid that people are having fun watching quasi dirty shows.

The fundies need to be relegated to irrelevance.

[Yavin4]

12. Issues Like These Make The Fundies Feel Powerful...

when they have no real power at all. If the FCC wants to actually serve the public, they'd break up the monopoly control of news and entertainment and return more media outlets to local control. That would serve the public far, far better than chasing after nekkid women on Cinemax.

However, this makes the fundies feel powerful, like they have the power to affect other people. Fundies love to believe that they can control other people's live. They don't really care if Gay people can marry. They just want to believe that they can deny other people rights. They want prayer in school because they want to indoctrinate kids into their religion. Everything is about control of other people.

[Sandpiper]

13. FCC chair to cable and satellite TV: Clean up your act or else

Grrrrrrr!!!!!

I'm so sick of the prudes and puritans trying to sanitize what adults in this country can see to "protect the cheeeeldren."

Cable is a SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE!!! If you don't like it, DON'T FUCKING BUY IT!!! It's just that simple.

Fuck censorship!

:grr:


By Jennifer C. Kerr
ASSOCIATED PRESS

2:19 p.m. November 29, 2005

WASHINGTON – Sexed-up, profanity-laced shows on cable and satellite TV should be for adult eyes only, and providers must do more to shield children or could find themselves facing indecency fines, the nation's top communications regulator says.

"Parents need better and more tools to help them navigate the entertainment waters, particularly on cable and satellite TV," Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told Congress on Tuesday.

<snip>

"You can always turn the television off and of course block the channels you don't want," he said, "but why should you have to?"

<snip>


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20051129-1419-tvindecency.html

[buddysmellgood]

14. Why should you have to? Why live in free country at all?

[TomInTib]

15. Did he say that while sitting behind his desk with his penis pump

hidden from view?

Just asking

[AZCat]

16. Why don't we just blind all our children at birth?

Then they'll never ever have to be exposed to horrible sights like that of two consenting adults doing, well, what consenting adults do.

:eyes:

[strategery blunder]

17. When parental control and republican personal responsibility isn't enough

:hide:

[cyr330]

18. According to whom?

Who makes the decision on what's decent or not? Does this mean that we all get stuck watching "The Sound of Music" or "God's Treasure Chest"?

[YankeyMCC]

19. Smut on cable, satellite TV targeted

"Sexed-up and profanity-laced shows on cable and satellite television should be for adult eyes only, and providers must do more to shield children, or they may find themselves facing indecency fines, the Federal Communications Commission chairman, Kevin Martin, said yesterday."

(snip)

''You can always turn the television off and, of course, block the channels you don't want," he said, ''but why should you have to?"

(snip)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/11/30/smut_on_c


This is getting scary folks. They ask "Why should you have to shut off a channel or TV?" Why should you take responsibility for yourself and your family? Even for something you've paid for!

The silence was deafening when Howard Stern was attacked. Now they think they've won that battle and they're moving on - deeper into our personal lives and decisions. How much longer will the silence last I wonder? Hopefully not until it is completely imposed on us by the government.

[ShrewdLiberal]

20. What a jack off!

''You can always turn the television off and, of course, block the channels you don't want," he said, ''but why should you have to?"

How about because there are people like myself who pay for specific content. I had to pay $800.00 for the equipment and a lifetime subscription to Sirius Satellite radio so I can hear Howard Stern when he comes to Sirius in January, 2006. It's guys like that jack off who regulated Howard Stern off of terrestrial radio. Now these fuck wads want to go after him on satellite as well. That's what this is all about, folks. It's a draconian witchhunt on Howard Stern.

You have to be 18 years of age to buy a satellite radio subscription; same goes with most cable and satellite dish outfits. It's up to the parents to allow or disallow what their children see and hear. It's not up to me to surrender my constitutional rights because those fuck heads can't raise their own children! If you don't like it, turn the fucking channel, assholes!

Now these fuck wads want me to jump through more hoops, so I can continue to hear Howard Stern? What do I look like, a circus dolphin?! Fuck them!

These draconian assholes need to be put in their hypocritical places. Dick Cheney tells Patrick Lahey (spelling of last name suspect) to go fuck himself on the senate floor and not a thing happened. That's fine. But if Stern fans want to hear our king, we have to move to Mars and live out our lives in a space bubble? Hahaha! This country is doomed!

[genieroze]

23. Hey azzwipes, I'm paying for that smut.

I use my parental filter that came with my cable box to block channels I don't want my kids to see, SHEESH!

[NMMNG]

21. The cable and satellite tv industry isn't doing enough?

Every system has methods to block out channels parents don't want the kids to see. Furthermore, all new TV sets have a V-chip, and older sets can be fitted with one, giving parents further options to "protect" their children. The Rethugs whine about Liberals creating a Nanny State? :wtf: do they call this?

[genieroze]

24. It doesn't help when you have Hellory bitchin bout video games.

I can't stand that she DINO.

[NMMNG]

27. What ever happened to PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY?

If the parents don't want their children to watch something, listen to something or play something, they shouldn't buy it for them or give them access to it. Isn't that what parents are for?


And I agree about Hillary (and others who whine about the games). They all need to get over it. The government should not be in the nanny business.

[zann725]

22. More "decency?" Like "reality" TV on primetime? More maggot eating?

Yeah, we really need to clean up (dumb-down) PayTV/Cable...so it more alligns with prime-time line-up of reality and Apprentice programs, etc. Frankly, I find most of prime-time programming "obscenely" mundane and mind-numbing. Cable TV series in particular, are truly almost the only quality weekly shows on TV at present.

And sex and violence on the three major Alphabet primetimenetworks...AND on channels such as the WB and Fox. So what's the deal with a moral "attack" on PayTV/Cable?

[Loonman]

25. We PAY for that content

Asshole. Fuck the FCC.