So Michael Powell is gone at the FCC....

[Sauron]

....guess what? His replacement is worse.

Kevin Martin, the new guy, is apparently (you guessed it) an AVID Bush supporter. Which is apparently the only quality needed these days to gain a position in shit-head's cabinet. Remember those Florida photos back during the election recount of 2000? When people were trying to inspect hanging chads? Well, apparently Martin was in several key photos, thus ensuring his place in the Bush administration. His wife also works for the administration.

Because Martin is a sitting commissioner, there isn't going to be any confirmation hearing before Congress - Bush once again skirts the public eye and that nasty old accountability problem.

And Martin? His views are even more far-right than Powell, and he is expected to push the "decency law" bullshit even more vigorously than Powell did.

[Godless Dave]

What I remember about Powell is when he expressed surprise at getting so many letters from the public about media ownership rules. Who the fuck did you think you were working for?

[lisarea]

He needs to be in the hotseat from the get-go.

When is he going to start fining broadcasters that have aired government-produced propaganda without citing its source? When does he plan to fine the licensees who have violated that clause of their lease? Isn't that just a little easier to identify than some nebulous standard such as 'community standards,' and what is HIS reasoning behind failing to protect the public interests by ignoring these violations? How many violations will it take before he'll start to revoke broadcast licenses instead of just simply fining the licensees?

How many complaints is the FCC actually receiving about 'decency' issues as opposed to issues such as ownership and fairness in broadcasting standards, and how does that jibe with the time, effort, and tax dollars they're spending addressing those issues? When is a broadcaster going to be fined for failing to comply with some clause of their licensing agreements OTHER THAN some amorphous, subjective 'decency' regulation?

Don't let these people distract you with stupid social shit. The issue is not dirty words and naked people. Those are really minor issues, and honestly, we can fix those later. A government-controlled propaganda delivery system will be MUCH harder to get rid of once it's been tolerated.

He needs to be bombarded by very specific questions about how he plans to go about serving the public interest, what his priorities are in doing so, and how his priorities are informed. Before he so much as sets up a mug o' pencils on his shiny new desk. He needs to walk face first into a huge, ugly shitstorm. And there's a really stinky one already brewing.

[Petra]

Lisarea, I'm home with a tummy bug that's been going around and feeling pretty miserable. Then I read your posts and feel so much more alive. Thanks for being out there.

[viscousmemories]

Originally Posted by lisarea

How many complaints is the FCC actually receiving about 'decency' issues [...]

Wow, that's really scary. Well obviously the FCC isn't going to fine a network a million bucks on the complaints of three people, so who or what would you guess they did it for? And isn't the common thinking that FOX is a puppet of the Bush administration, or is that just FOX News? Because I can't guess why the FCC would go after them if they're part of the family.

[Shake]

Maybe more folks will follow Stern's lead and go to satellite radio, giving a big FU to commercial radio. Same for pay-TV. I bet Stern could get his show on one of the pay channels, rather than on E! where things have to be bleeped and blurred.

[viscousmemories]

Yeah really. I'd think Skinemax at least would host the Stern show.

[lisarea]

Originally Posted by lunachick

Lisarea, I'm home with a tummy bug that's been going around and feeling pretty miserable. Then I read your posts and feel so much more alive. Thanks for being out there.

Well, thank you back, baby. I know I have a tendency to be pretty boring sometimes, so it really makes me happy that not everyone is rolling their eyes at me, you know?

[lisarea]

Originally Posted by Shake

Maybe more folks will follow Stern's lead and go to satellite radio, giving a big FU to commercial radio. Same for pay-TV. I bet Stern could get his show on one of the pay channels, rather than on E! where things have to be bleeped and blurred.

Remember this, though? I mean, sure, it has fuck all to do with the whole intent of the FCC (to license and regulate broadcasts over publically owned spectrum), but what the hell does anyone care about the actual mandate anyway? Does anyone know if this whole idea has the potential of growing legs?

[Petra]

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

Because I can't guess why the FCC would go after them if they're part of the family.

I dunno, but maybe when the Janet pseudo-outrage happened, key people simply saw an opportunity to divert public attention from elsewhere. For all we know, they may have struck a deal - "we'll appear to be tough on a 'morality' matter that won't actually hurt you as far as ratings or ongoing scandal goes, lump you with an affordable fine that still kinda looks good for us, people will forget it all within a month or so, and we'll reward you for you taking a wee fall and helping us out this way in the not too distant future when things cool down a bit."

[Petra]

Originally Posted by lisarea

...you know?

Yeah, I know.



By the way, that link to the dumbass Senator? What an absolute wanker. Next they'll be banning books! Like What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls - by Lynda Madaras. Oh. That's right. They did.


Silly fucking moralists.