MOsanthrope

Posted by Chris on March 16, 2006 at 12:46 pm.

Yesterday, the FCC levied $3.6M in fines against 111 CBS affiliates for airing an episode of “Without a Trace” which, according to the agency, “suggested that its teenage characters were participating in a sexual orgy.”

I’ve never seen “Without a Trace,” but the FCC has certainly piqued my interest.

The program was among nine cited yesterday for fines totaling about $4 million on agency accusations of violating decency standards between February 2002 and March 2005. The fines are the first indecency actions by the commission since Kevin J. Martin, a Republican, became chairman last March.

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The orders were notable for the breadth of programming cited, from Spanish-language music videos to live award shows. Complaints against 28 programs were dismissed, but 20 shows were found to have violated decency standards. One show, “N.Y.P.D. Blue,” was cited for indecency violations in eight separate episodes. Eleven programs were found to be indecent but were not fined.

As you’d expect, the fines follow a letter-writing campaign by groups such as the Parents Television Council, the organization responsible for 99.8% of FCC complaints made in 2003.

I fail to understand why this is so complicated, folks. If you don’t like what you see on your television, you may quickly rectify the situation via a device which is so easy to use that even my three-year-old has mastered it. It’s probably right there on your coffee table.

Using this simple tool, you may address your concerns about television programming in far less time than is necessary to fire off an angry missive to the FCC.

Of course, this device won’t help you if your intention is to control what programming other people may view.

Filed under: Politics, Business, Culture, U.S., Television