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The chill on free speech, continued

5 comments on The chill on free speech, continued

The chill on free speech, continued

: Here is yet another chill on free speech caused by the FCC’s and Congress’ efforts to control and censor our speech:

A radio personality I won’t name told me that the company for which he/she works is trying to require him/her to indemnify them against any FCC fines — including not only fines against the performer but against the company.

This means that under the current bills festering in Congress, this poor schmo would be liable for between $1 million (that is, $500k fines for the performer and the company) to $6 million (that is, $3 million each) per day.

I would (a) recite nursery rhymes, (b) go to satellite and hope these prigs, prudes, and fools did not follow, or (c) find a new career in aluminum siding.

5 responses to “The chill on free speech, continued”

  1. Brett Avatar
    Brett

    What will kill the FCC is a growing reputation for being anti-business and the growing list of non-FCC-regulated alternatives. Keep blogging about how the FCC is killing business and destroying jobs and keep blogging about the variety and freedom in alternative media.

  2. person of choler Avatar
    person of choler

    Tell your unnamed pal “welcome to the worried-about-legal-action club”. Members include: medical care providers, registered professional engineers and surveyors, officers and directors of corporations, contractors, and owners of businesses of all sizes, to name a few.
    Speaking of prudes, owners or managers of businesses can be (and have been) sued for something as innocent as a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit calendar on a wall of their own private property. I don’t know why broadcasters, whose visibility is vastly greater than that of a local small business, should be treated differently from everyone else.
    Yes, prudery is rampant but it is not only your media pets affected by it.

  3. hey Avatar
    hey

    the media, like congress, have essentially been immune from the trends and policies that they have advocated. when people who are bit by these things complain (sarb-ox, ridiculous harrassment complaints, junk lawsuits) media and pols smear the victims of their policies and use cheap anti-business rhetoric…
    reap the whirlwind…
    ideally, media personalities and companies (jointly and severably) would be liable for the stories they promote, with a very, very low thresh-hold. they can, and frequently do, destroy lives, businessses and careers, and they should be liable for that…
    once the cocoon is removed, and media have to live with the regular rules of the rest of the country does, I think we’d see some very useful changes (not the least of which would be a much more conservative media… you’d get “mugged” much more often and see the downside of gov’t, rather than only the upside as is typical now)

  4. Mike Liveright Avatar
    Mike Liveright

    Just for interest, though I disagree with the entire idea of censorship, is the radio station/network conservative or liberal and is the personality one who is likely to stray over the “line”, e.g. is the pressure by the station understandable or not?
    My “compromise” proposal is to develop V-Chip type solutions that allow listeners to set their level of toleration, and if the broadcaster correctly lables the show, then there should be no censorship. (though I do realize the problems)
    The real imorality of the FCC is that they are not willing to set up a-priority standards that we can all see and discuss and that the personality… can then know what is allowed or not.

  5. Ed Doerksen Avatar
    Ed Doerksen

    It is interesting that censorship is still being fought. In Canada it isn’t any diffrent. But the bigger fear is the idea of controlling and censoring the internet and those who write their opinions. Free speech is being challenged in democratic countries around the world, which leaves me to believe that democratic countries can’t handle the heat brough about by ordinary people.