Subscribe Now!
GannettUSA Today

Say, what?

A CYNICAL LOOK AT THE DAILY GRIND

Thursday, November 09, 2006

LET FREEDOM RING


Looks like the FCC eased its indecency chokehold yesterday on TV broadcasters after it dismissed charges against two television shows that aired profanities.

At issue were several episodes of "NYPD Blue" on ABC in which the words "d---head" and "bulls---" were used as well as on CBS' "Early Show" in which a "Survivor" cast member described a contestant as a "bulls----er."

The FCC tried to weasel around its interpretation as to why it dismissed some cases and not others by saying some profanities are OK when used in respect to news programming.

So, does that mean news anchors and correspondents now can drop the "F" bomb or say the "S" word when something goes wrong during their broadcasts? Will the television audience now be able to hear everything guests shout at each other on the "Jerry Springer" show?

It seems to me the commission is inconsistent with its decisions in First Amendment cases but, in some cases, our freedom of speech also is being hogtied by a bunch of right-wing conservatives.

I don't want to hear the "F" word all over the news either, but just think of what we could do with taxpayers' money wasted by the FCC chasing down a court ruling against Nicole Richie who said on an awards show, "Have you ever tried to get cow s--- out of a Prada purse?"

15 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

How far does this "free speech" go? Does this mean my grandchildren and I have to listen to anyone who cares to use profanity whenever and wherever? Is there no decency left to us? Of course, I have used a few words over the years, but I would never in front of my grandkids. Enough already

Thu Nov 09, 11:34:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tired of profanity in all the media-TV, Movies, Books, Radio. The parents of today have it harder protecting their children from all this Blue Stuff. I only hope "Art" is not imitating life and society is not at fault.

Thu Nov 09, 02:39:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Curse words would be disrespectful
to hear on the news. I dont mind a few curse words while watching HBO, but come on. Freedom of Speech can be getting out of control. You can still get your point across with emphasis, and not using foul language. What was Spud saying in that picture?

Thu Nov 09, 02:58:00 PM  
Blogger Diana said...

OK, I can see a fight coming on at home with my selection of pictures for this one. I am changing it to save my sanity. sorry if you didn't see my original selection.

Thu Nov 09, 03:12:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I doubt we'll ever heard the "f" bomb on the local or network news. News directors are far too savvy, if not in fear of losing their jobs.
The 1st Amendment guarantees our Freedom of Speech. This is in fact our inalienable right to express one's religious belief in addition to speaking out against our elected leaders.
I do not equate the use of foul language as a 1st Amendment Right.
Would the first Amendment grant you the right to scream "fire" in a crowded theater when in fact there was no fire?
The use of foul language is indicative of an ill mannered,classless person.

Thu Nov 09, 05:04:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

all networks can utilize the 10-second delay button and make their censors work for their pay by deleting expletives before they reach the airwaves..radio programs have done it for years...what do you @#!?# think of that idea?

Thu Nov 09, 06:41:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is nothing inherently "dirty" in any word in any language.
A word gets to be dirty because society gets together and decides that certain words are dirty. Some words are dirty in this language but not in another language. Some words are verboten in this socio-economic class but not in that one. Some words are dirty in this decade but not that one.

If folks would only get together and decide that "a dirty word" is a ridiculous notion, then all words would be permissible everywhere, and no-one would care whether or not you use a so-called "dirty word".

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
-- Hamlet, Wm. Shakespeare

Thu Nov 09, 06:46:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A man walks into the street and manages to get a taxi just going by. He gets into the taxi, and the cabbie says, "Perfect timing. You're just like Frank."
Passenger: "Who?"
Cabbie: "Frank Feldman. He's a guy who did everything right – all the time. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time."
Passenger: "There are always a few clouds over everybody."
Cabbie: "Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy"
Passenger: "Sounds like he was something really special"
Cabbie: "There's more.......He had a memory like a computer. Could remember everybody's birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But rank Feldman, he could do everything right."
Passenger: "Wow, some guy then."
Cabbie: "He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams, not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. But Frank, he never made a mistake"
Passenger: "Mmm, there's not many like him around."
Cabbie: "And he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good and never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too - he was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman."
Passenger: "An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?"
Cabbie: "Well, I never actually met Frank."
Passenger: "Then how do you know so much about him?"
Cabbie: "I married his f#@$%&g widow"

Thu Nov 09, 06:51:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well whooorahh and hang on, after some of the folks from last Tuesday get settled in your going to see and hear a lot more. so just lay back and enjoy. Who knows, we might get to see Babra Streisand on a test case.

Thu Nov 09, 09:02:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Respect, consideration, common sense. All things that have went downhill in most households.

Fri Nov 10, 06:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was glad to hear that the FCC eased off their stands on certain profanities.
I doubt we will live to hear the "F" or the "S" words being allowed, but there are times that some profanities are needed for a story to be understood.
The money spent on such triviality is a large waste of our tax dollars.
Perhaps this election will bring a more centrist attitude in how we should monitor these things.

Fri Nov 10, 08:36:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think that the government should put their money into helping not watch-dogging retarded things like this. The U.S. has too many laws. The Europeans live longer because there aren't as many rigid government agencies monitoring what they are doing. When you look at Howard Stern and the amount of fines the FCC has tried to stick him with, it is ridiculous. I know the news is different than entertainment, but mistakes happen. People curse, it is just the way it is. If a news agency is supposed to report the news, people are in the news, people curse. I think that anchor people or the people they are interviewing have moral codes to abide by, but the FCC needs to lighten up in general. It just causes people to have to spend money on things such a cable, sirius radio which is about the best thing in life at the moment. i think is that the FCC in general needs to lighten up overall.

Mon Nov 13, 09:54:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When did the United States become a nation of immorality?
Recently my wife and I were at a rest stop on the GSP. As I waited for my wife to come from the ladies room I heard a group of people in their early twenties shouting to each other and it seemed as if every other word was the f bomb. I was about to say something when my wife appeared and said that I'd be interfering with their first amendment rights. Sorry Charlie, but that's not what the first amendment is about!
Now I hear it frequently on the radio. I turn the program off. I don't listen to hear two guys who blatently disregard my morality to get a laugh. I am not a prude. I am not a very pious individual who never uses the word. However I will not use the word, even with my close friends who object to its usage.
We are "one nation under God" no matter what you call him or her. We should respect others and maintain at least a semblance of dignity for their convictions.

Tue Nov 14, 08:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the teens of today use this language as part of their everyday jargon, it is even a term of endearment for a teenage girl to call her gooo friends "whores" and "sluts" and "biaches", without it having any sexual connotation whatsoever...

Tue Nov 14, 12:39:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yo biach, stop doggin all us young and beautiful whoes you pruny old prude. Sorry that you sluts in the old days already claimed "oh fudge" and "supercalafradulistic exbealadosus." What is left for my homies to say? Respect!

Thu Nov 16, 12:40:00 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home