New Indecency Rules Needed For Radio & TV…

(Veterans Day Edition) 

Any parent or grandparent will tell you that we need indecency rules to protect children.  The problem with the current rules is that they are too vague.  The rules don’t exist for news coverage, nor should they.  Obscenity blurted out by the people making news cannot and should not be censored.  It is within the context of the event.   Treating something blurted out by someone accepting an award or obscenity used by a person quoting someone in a documentary should not be treated the same as some idiot on a daily radio show, pushing the envelope.  They are not the same and should be treated differently.  It’s time for a re-write of the current rules.  Now that would be a great and much needed way for a new FCC to begin its reign…

When the Supreme Court rules on Fox v. FCC, it will rule on the side of the law.  They will not take a stand either for or against indecency other than offering their opinion on the vagueness of the rules.  They’ve already done that.  The betting on the outcome of that case is that the FCC will probably win.  Andrew Schwartzman, whose Media Access Project represents TV and film producers opposed to the indecency crackdown and John Crigler, a First Amendment attorney whose clients have included Pacifica, owner of the station (WBAI) that ran George Carlin’s infamous “seven dirty words” both said that they think the case will be decided narrowly but that the FCC has a good chance of winning…

The Supreme Court verdict will not affect the current indecency rules but with the focus on the FCC’s vague interpretation of the rules, it’s time to throw the old rules out and start all over again with a new, clear, set of rules…  

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1918] Armistice Day: World War I ends when the Allies and Germany sign an armistice a.k.a. “Armistice Day“. Many countries refer to Veterans Day as Remembrance Day…
2. 1921] Dedication Day: The Tomb of the Unknowns is dedicated at Arlington Cemetary by U.S. President Warren Harding…
3. 1938] The Philadelphia Flyers take note: Kate Smith sings Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” for the 1st time on network radio.  The still used for this video clip makes Kate look like a munchkin but the audio is good…
4. 1940] Debuted on this date: The Jeep, manufactured for the war effort.  Here’s today’s Jeep…
5. 1972] ‘Happy Trails’: Berry Oakley(Allman Brothers) is killed in a motorcycle accident one year and 13 days after Duane Allman met the same fate - and just 3 blocks away. Oakley was 24…2004] Palestinian leader, controversial Yasser Arafat dies in Paris at 75. Israel does not sing ‘Happy Trails’…
6. 1984] The gift that keeps on giving: President Ronald Reagan accepts the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a gift to the nation from the Vietnam Memorial Fund…
7. 1986] Wedding Bells: Sperry Rand and Burroughs walk down the aisle with their baby “Unisys” becoming the second largest computer company…
8. 1993] Dedication Day II: A bronze statue is dedicated in Washington (D.C.) to honor more than 11,000 American women who served in the Vietnam War.  This clip is a tribute to all the women who served the U.S. throughout history…
9. 1996] The Wall that heals: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund unveils “The Wall that Heals“, a half-scale replica of the memorial that will tour communities throughout the U.S…
10. 2002] MVP x 5: Barry Bonds wins the MVP award for an unprecedented fifth time…

Music Memories:

• 1958] Recorded on this date: “The Twist” - Hank Ballard & Midnighters (the original version)…
• 1963] Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Brian Epstein and Ed Sullivan sign a 3-show contract for Beatle appearances.  This is one of those performances…
• 1967] Released on this date: “In and Out of Love” - Supremes…

Commentary:

Only baseball historians or those fans at least in their 50s will remember Preacher Roe.  He was born Elwin, picked up ‘Preacher’ when he considered being a minister.  He was one of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ better pitchers in the 50s.  A 20-game winner in 1951, he would finish his career with a 127-83 record and 3.43 ERA, pitching in a bandbox of a stadium - Ebbets Field.  Roe a.k.a. “The Pride of the Ozarks” passed away on Sunday, never having fully recovered from recent colon surgery.  Roe was 93…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Leonardo DiCaprio (34), Carlista Flockhart (44), Demi Moore (46), Stanley Tucci (48), Warner Wolf (71) and Jonathan Winters (83)…

Timeline Countdown: Today is Veterans Day, 16 days until Thanksgiving and 40 days until winter…

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November, 11, 2008 at 08: 10:10 p11 and is filed under Today's Post. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.