New Indecency Fines Threaten PBS

Posted on July 28, 2006

The new indecency laws passed by Congress in response to the legendary Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake Superbowl Halftime Show are now thretening PBS. Yes, that's right, PBS. The new fines are so steep that they will create a chilling effect on programming. The particular program PBS is worried about is a World War II documentary by Ken Burns in which former soldiers use some salty language.

Noted filmmaker Burns' highly anticipated seven-part series "The War" features salty language used by servicemen and others. If the expletives make it to air, they could lead to crippling fines for the offending stations as a result of a new law signed last month by President George W. Bush.
Paula Kerger, the president and CEO of PBS, told reporters at a media event in Pasadena, California, that she was reluctant to bleep the words out, because that would diminish the impact of the documentary. Airing the film after 10 p.m., when the new rules do not apply, would reduce the available audience, she said. "The American people need to know this is not about Janet Jackson," Kerger said, referring to the singer's breast-baring turn at the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. The incident sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill and spurred the bipartisan push to boost fines for indecency violations.
Under the new law, fines rise to as much as $325,000 per violation from $32,500. Television and radio broadcasters are barred from airing obscene material and are limited from broadcasting indecent material between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., times when children are likely to be watching.

First off, the new fines are ludicrous. And second of all, for the FCC to refuse to render an opinion before the broadcast is absolutely outrageous. So now we can't even listed to a decorated war veteran talk about his life because he might use some "salty" language? It's absolute idiocy. And the "no prior rulings" policy seems clearly aimed at destroying public television, which is already under fire as it is.