FCC Should do the Decent Thing
FCC Should do the Decent Thing
I don’t have a lot of interest in Janet Jackson’s right breast, or her left breast for that matter. I don’t even care that she exposed herself to the world in order to get free publicity for her upcoming album. Okay, I do care about that. And while I would rather live in a culture where women are allowed to uncover rather than forced to cover, I do care that Ms. Jackson, who has sold millions of CD’s and influences millions of young people around the globe, shamelessly and consciously lied to the people who hired her to perform at the Superbowl, and she did it out of greed. So, I care that we are still talking about it.
But the FCC is launching an investigation into the indecency of the Superbowl halftime show. And since the American public deserves to know every mindless detail about the behavior of our heroes, TV news was all over this story, exposing every detail. More air time was spent covering the uncovering than on the details of new Federal budget proposals.
I couldn’t say if what Ms. Jackson did, was indecent but I think it was in bad taste. It’s why I don’t buy her music. I’m not a fan of that whole of bump and grind soft-porn genre aimed at the wallets of America’s teenagers. But who decides on taste? I try to avoid being a cultural snob, because frankly, I’m really not cultured enough to be a snob. Or is it that I’m not snobby enough to be cultured? As far as I’m concerned, the whole incident was just dumb. So dumb that it has me wondering if exposing my right breast might bring me some career advancement.
In the spirit of exposure, and disclosure, I want the FCC to investigate indecency everywhere they see it. I’ve prepared a short list to get them started.
• Was it indecent of CBS to refuse to sell Superbowl air-time to moveon.com for a spot that criticized the huge Bush budget deficits?
• Is it indecent to have six corporations own most of our media sources?
• Where is the decency in the FCC regulations that would allow companies to own radio, TV and newspapers in the same market?
FCC Chairman Powell says he was personally offended by the whole halftime show. I too am often offended by much of what I see on television. I want more variety, more access, more opinions, more ideas. I’m less concerned with the seven dirty words and more concerned about the First Amendment. I worry that Mr. Powell will seek some quick fix, some popular, poll driven response.
Decency is doing what we should do when we know we could do something else. The FCC should lead by example and do the decent thing and protect the First Amendment.
We don’t need a commission to tell us that what Jackson did was stupid. All we need for that is common sense. But where have you seen that lately. Will we see it in the FCC ruling?
I don’t even care that she exposed herself to the world in order to get free publicity for her upcoming album. Okay, I do care about that. And while I would rather live in a culture where women are allowed to uncover rather than forced to cover, I do care that Ms. Jackson, who has sold millions of CD’s and influences millions of young people around the globe, shamelessly and consciously lied to the people who hired her to perform at the Superbowl, and she did it out of greed. So, I care that we are still talking about it.
But the FCC is launching an investigation into the indecency of the Superbowl halftime show. And since the American public deserves to know every mindless detail about the behavior of our heroes, TV news was all over this story, exposing every detail. More air time was spent covering the uncovering than on the details of new Federal budget proposals.
I couldn’t say if what Ms. Jackson did, was indecent but I think it was in bad taste. It’s why I don’t buy her music. I’m not a fan of that whole of bump and grind soft-porn genre aimed at the wallets of America’s teenagers. But who decides on taste? I try to avoid being a cultural snob, because frankly, I’m really not cultured enough to be a snob. Or is it that I’m not snobby enough to be cultured? As far as I’m concerned, the whole incident was just dumb. So dumb that it has me wondering if exposing my right breast might bring me some career advancement.
In the spirit of exposure, and disclosure, I want the FCC to investigate indecency everywhere they see it. I’ve prepared a short list to get them started.
• Was it indecent of CBS to refuse to sell Superbowl air-time to moveon.com for a spot that criticized the huge Bush budget deficits?
• Is it indecent to have six corporations own most of our media sources?
• Where is the decency in the FCC regulations that would allow companies to own radio, TV and newspapers in the same market?
FCC Chairman Powell says he was personally offended by the whole halftime show. I too am often offended by much of what I see on television. I want more variety, more access, more opinions, more ideas. I’m less concerned with the seven dirty words and more concerned about the First Amendment. I worry that Mr. Powell will seek some quick fix, some popular, poll driven response.
Decency is doing what we should do when we know we could do something else. The FCC should lead by example and do the decent thing and protect the First Amendment.
We don’t need a commission to tell us that what Jackson did was stupid. All we need for that is common sense. But where have you seen that lately. Will we see it in the FCC ruling?