NEWS: Slowly Eroding "Rights"

CULTURE: Slowly Eroding "Rights"

The Federal Communication Commission has warned public radio station WUNC-FM in Chapel Hill, NC that one word in one of their underwriter’s announcements cannot be used because of its inherent political bias.

That word is “rights” as used in the phrase “reproductive rights.”

By the way, next month “reproductive health” will be called “reproheal,” “free speech zone” will be called “freespezo,” and the FCC will be referred to as “minitru.”

Hat tip: Salon.com

that's interesting, because there's a local show in Raleigh, NC that my friend runs on the WKNC (NC State's radiostation) called "What's Left", that's a Leftist show, and that hasn't caused any problems with the FCC.

there's bullshit afoot.

The bigger problem is that the FCC, as it is currently setup, doesn't tell any broadcasters what they can or annot do/say. Broadcasters are penalized by fines or ultimately revocation of their license spurred by complaints filed with the FCC by the public. Of course, the FCC is free to disagree with the complaints but when the broadcasters don't know what complaints the FCC will agree with or disagree with and the FCC refuses to "OK" things for broadcast, the broadcasters censor themselves out of fear.

Oh. My. God.

Doublespeak, anyone?

*breaks out tin-foil hat*

and 2 + 2 = 5.

Meanwhile, Tucker "The Fucker" Carlson gets to air his right-wing screed on PBS. Fucking hypocrites.

Yes, newspeak is the future.
And the ACLU will become the ACPU- the American Civil Possibilities Union, who will uphold the Bill of Opportunities.

Dammit! I just spilled my soda when my "slap someone in the face" reflex went off.

the FCC is garbage

The first amendment guarantees your right to free speech about as effectively as the second amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Quit bitching and reap what you sow...

If Ashcroft the Barbarian can throw a drape over the statue of Justice (as Atttorney General of the United States), what sick fucking thing can this country not do?

If we allow the sick fuck Beltway Nazis to destroy the Bill of Rights., we'll get what we deserve.

Oh, come on, people...

I mean really. They're doing us a favor.

You're all going to find it much easier - once you've gotten used to not being able to say "reproductive rights" - to make the transition to not actually having any reproductive rights.

The thing is, the FCC has complaint files on every single broadcaster in the country. No broadcaster knows how many complaints have been filed against them, what the complaints entail, and what to do about ending the behavior which spawned the complaint in the first place. The FCC's guidelines on what is "decent" for on-air consumption are so vague and full of wordsmithing, that it has become increasingly difficult to police one's on-air content.

And the fact that the complaints are filed by the public can both be a burden and a godsend. The station for which I work tends to have a listening base of mainly alternative/liberal-minded folk who tend not to complain. This, however, does not stop the random station scanner to hear something they don't like on our station and call in a complaint.

To make a long explanation short (too late), the behavior that is accepted for on-the-air broadcasts is pretty much set forward by the station's Program Director, depending on their understanding of the stations viewers / listeners. These decisions can also be greatly influenced by the Program Director's very own political leanings and views.

This is the FCC's last gasp. As everyone moves to pay services (cable, XM, etc) they will lose their ability to regulate content. Assuming all things remain constant...but as we all know, no man's life, liberty or property is safe while the legislature is in session. This goes for Dem legislatures just as much as Rep ones. (Probably more, actually)

Actually, the FCC can regulate cable television, which is why you can't hear the big bad four letter words on the Cartoon Network.
Also, XM has come under FCC scrutiny for broadcasting local news and weather, thus taking away from local broadcasters who have the ability to do such now. The FCC does control subscription and pay services, they just don't have the same amount of control over it as they do with the "free-airwaves" of network, basic cable, and non-subscription radio broadcasts.

Michael Powell, the Chairman of the FCC, is the son of Colin Powell, almost former Secretary of State.

Inbreeding often results in insanity. The New Roman Republic will now administer freedom.

The FCC can legally do whatever it is chartered or allowed to do, but banning real words should be considered unconstitutional.

I can remember hearing a phrase "America, Land of the Free, Home of the Brave".

News of petty censorship mocks that phrase.

The FCC polices broadcasting businesses. The last time I checked, businesses did not garner themselves the same constitutional rights as the individual. You can protest the FCC all you want, but the fact remains that what the FCC is doing is making sure that broadcasters follow the rules in order to have a license.

Just like one has a license to drive, one has to have a license to broadcast. Driving is not a right, just as broadcasting is not a right. Your license to drive can be revoked for something you find ridiculous, "I was driving drunk because I had to get my friend with alcohol poisoning to the hospital and I was the most sober person at the party!" And your broadcasting license can be revoked for reasons you (or the general public) might find to be just as ridiculous.

Yes, there is the issue with free speech, but does one, when one is at one's place of business, do whatever one likes in front of clients and the like just because one has "the right" to do so? Most likely not, if one wants to keep one's job. It's the same way with broadcasters, it's just that it's made a little more public because our "product" reaches a broader spectrum of people, and tends to fall under the guise of "entertainment."

Listen, I don't like the FCC very much either, but I deal with it every day for work, and I happen to like my job enough that I want to continue to work, and in order to do that, I must play by the rules that the FCC sets forth.

This situation is based on a matter of interpretation, but the use of the word "rights" does not have a political bias.

The FCC rule seems reasonable, but the interpretation of it seems to be a poorly judged by the radio station.

Yep.
Program Directors can be the bane of a disc jockey's existance.

I find this story to be very scary!!

I'm glad I'm a Beta.

Um. . .what?