...standard for decency!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/05/business/media/05decency.html?_r=1&ref=busines s&oref=slogin

I heard about this on the Thom Hartmann program this morning. Caught part of an interview with the head of the FCC. Very interesting push and pull between allowing reasonable adult speech and protecting the kiddies.

The more serious implication of this court decision, in the eyes of the FCC, is they have overstepped their bounds. Having triggered a court decision, they have now surrendered some of their power.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/6/5/1211/30670

From a story on Kos today, there is this quote:

"Adopting an argument made by lawyers for NBC, the judges then cited examples in which Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney had used the same language that would be penalized under the policy. Mr. Bush was caught on videotape last July using a common vulgarity that the commission finds objectionable in a conversation with Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain. Three years ago, Mr. Cheney was widely reported to have muttered an angry obscene version of “get lost” to Senator Patrick Leahy on the floor of the United States Senate."

Seeing the strong broadcast regulation neutered pleases me to no end. Leading toward a more permissive environment, in this regard, as a whole, by GOP example is simply priceless!

(Turns and looks at his "Go Fuck Yourself!" --Dick Cheney, Vice President coffee mug with a wicked grin.)

Skip Kos if you want, the NY Times article is a solid read.

This could end up triggering a decency crisis of sorts, or it could end up producing a more relaxed media regulation in general. IMHO, the core idea of fines for contrived profanity, that does not add value, or is not just a slip or minor thing, are not out of line, where I am concerned. I do think they are excessive --as does the court.

There are gonna be implications, care to speculate here for a nice change from the usual fare?

One that I can think of is that our Vice President can now be quoted directly, as that would fall under the coarse and early guideline set by this court decision! News stories and other journalistic broadcasts could follow in like kind as well.

This is a tangible example of something that I know I'm not the first to note - but never cease to enjoy following;

When the pendulum swings too far one way for a decade or so, it almost always swings back the other way. That's as close as we get to balance in this society. It doesn't happen overnight. But it is interesting to watch the triggers that change the momentum. It's often unintended and inadvertant - but it's interesting to me.

For example, the FCC starts cracking down on things that eventually become exposed as overreaching - however noble they may have thought it was. But what got lost was that much of it just didn't make sense. So now the pendulum starts to swing the other way and that freaks people out. Just like it freaked me out when a climate of paranoia was expoited to the degree it was.

My only concern is how much damage either direction does - not the fact that it swings...baby.

...a moderate at heart.

I agree, but for one subtle element.

If we've had a bad swing, one way or the other, I don't mind seeing a hard swing back, past the center and onto the other side. If we get one of these quick enough, perhaps a coupla generations learn something and it does not swing so hard for a while.

Probably will never happen though.