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The media pundit's pundit. Written by NYC insider Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine covers news, media, journalism, and politics.

FCC follies, continued… and continued… and continued…

16 comments on FCC follies, continued… and continued… and continued…

FCC follies, continued… and continued… and continued…

: As Gomer (or was it Guber?) would say: Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

The FCC just decided that the F word in Saving Private Ryan is not indecent, obscene, or profane.

In fact, the FCC turned down three complaints — on Will & Grace and Arrested Development, too. It’s as if, once they got rid of Howard Stern, they could let up.

Except I’m still waiting to hear their ruling on Oprah Winfrey.

The latest wisdom from on high….

: In the Private Ryan case, the FCC says that it found Ryan not indecent in 2001 and 2002 but that 66 stations wouldn’t air it this time “citing their uncertainty as to whether it contained indecent material, reportedly based, in part, on Commission indecency rulings subsequent to these previous broadcasts of the film.”

Well, yeah: In the Bono case, the FCC decrees that the F word is not only indecent but also profane and says:

…we believe that, given the core meaning of the

16 responses to “FCC follies, continued… and continued… and continued…”

  1. Dan Irving Avatar
    Dan Irving

    Isn’t “Music” considered art? Dance as well?
    Maybe the FCC should revisit it’s Janet Jackson ruling.
    Deleting all of such language or inserting milder language or bleeping sounds into the film would have altered the nature of the artistic work and diminished the power, realism and immediacy of the film experience for viewers. In short, the vulgar language here was not gratuitous and could not have been deleted without materially altering the broadcast.
    I wonder if they would say the same thing if the film being cited was The Breakfast Club.

  2. Mumblix Grumph Avatar
    Mumblix Grumph

    Jeff, the Saving Private Ryan “controversy” was started by a pissy station manager who was acting like a pouting 12 year old.
    It was done in the same spirit as a babysitter letting the house burn down and not calling the fire department because she was told to “stay off the phone”.

  3. tony Avatar
    tony

    carlin’s “seven deadly words” is not only art, but it’s funny. not to mention that deleting or inserting milder language or bleeping sounds into the bit would alter the nature of the artistic work, diminish the power, realism and immediacty of the comedy experience for the listeners.
    they should let it air as well.

  4. Jeff Jarvis Avatar
    Jeff Jarvis

    Dan, Tony: Right. Who the hell is the FCC to decree what is art?

  5. John Thacker Avatar
    John Thacker

    It’s the old Justice Potter Stewart idea on obscenity that “I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material but I know it when I see it.”
    By all means, please, abolish the FCC. (Even though we all make hypocritical-sounding arguments arguing against it as well– when Saving Private Ryan is challenged, we defend it on the basis of it obviously being art. Then later we lambaste an exception for art.) Although, honestly, who watches the basic networks for movies? It’s easier to stop the growth of regulation than to repeal it, hence more important to keep the FCC from branching out and regulating cable or satellite radio.

  6. Bill Avatar
    Bill

    I think the FCC is pushing back in the opposite direction in its recent rulings and the resignation of Michael Powell. I think at least some members believe they went too far to appease a very small, but vocal minority of offended viewers, and they are now pushing in the other direction. It’s as if the Janet Jackson affair was the tipping point toward more regulation of speech, but now Saving Private Ryan has been the tipping point the other way. Just the sheer inanity and hypocrisy of their ruling here shows that they are merely bending toward the political winds yet again, this time though in a more sane direction. It certainly cannot be a coincidence that President Bush warned against the FCC becoming a national nanny and stepping onto free speech boundaries just a few short weeks before several rulings against PTC complaints and in favor of broadcasters’ rights.

  7. richard mcenroe Avatar
    richard mcenroe

    Between the FCC and the NEA, how much more proof do we need that the gummint has no business in the art line?

  8. tonynoboloney Avatar
    tonynoboloney

    As the father of 2 impressionable boys (11&12) it is increaseingly difficult to monitor the onslaght of objectional material that spews forth morning ,noon, and night on both network and cable t.v. Unless the FCC intends on monitoring not just programing, but commercials too (even my boys found viagra’s “4 hour” erection quite humorous). It might be better if the FCC gets out of the art critic business and stick with the already established veiwer code system, in which the veiwer will decide what is objectionable. I find that after (during?) exposure to inapropriate, strong, explicit language and scenes on t.v. a frank discussion with my children is in order “just because you CAN, doesn’t mean you SHOULD”. This method of veiwing leaves us to choose what is appropriate and what is not.

  9. Easycure Avatar
    Easycure

    The NEA thinks a pile of crap on a piece of cardboard is art, too. Does that mean we should have to pay (be taxed) for the government’s opinion of support for or against it? I don’t think so.
    The FCC should be abolished, along with the NEA and the Department of Education. There. Budget problems solved.

  10. Mavis Beacon Avatar
    Mavis Beacon

    A-fuckin-men!
    Insane stuff. As a kid I knew bad words and I knew I wasn’t supposed to say them. I also knew that sometimes people killed other people and I wasn’t supposed to do that either. Yet somehow the Parent’s Television Council is more concerned that children might say “shit” at dinner than pick up a taste for blood.

  11. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    This little incident is nothing to get your panties in a bunch about. Like I’ve said before, it’s not like this sort of thing was happening beforehand and they are taking it away from us.
    Now this story from the Washington Post should concern you much more.
    Television is slowly going away and new mediums are coming more mainstream. Congressman who want to extend the powers of the FCC into those mediums (cable and satelitte and internet) are what you should be concentrating on. I’m with you lockstep on that Jeff.

  12. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    Just noticed that article has a post dedicated to it above. Must have glanced right over it.

  13. bb Avatar
    bb

    I’m unable to complet “p***k” – someone spot me another letter!

  14. matt Avatar
    matt

    Ernest Miller over at “The Importance Of…” has another good post on this topic. mostly he compares this ruling with George Carlin’s 7 dirty words. good reading.

  15. bb Avatar
    bb

    Is the inverse of p***k, *ric*?
    That doesn’t seem as bad as the others…
    What about “schmuck”, then?

  16. mm Avatar
    mm

    “(I will confess I added asterisks because this is a segment now on MSNBC.)”
    Hypocrite.