[opendtv] Re: Garrison Keillor: Talk about obscenity
- From: dgrimes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 14:48:06 -0700
"(and the definition of "inappropriate" changes regularly at the FCC,
even between staff and commissioners and from day to day)....No one is
trying to shirk responsibility, but no one has a rulebook, either."-Mark
This is a problem that needs to be addressed. Clearly, this is not for the
Administration branch of the government; it is the Legislative branch that
is responsible for defining decency. Whether the Legislative branch is
capable of producing reasonable definitions is yet to be seen. Then the
Administration should enforce, and when there are differences of opinion,
the Judicial is there to enact justice. At least this is how it should be
based on our chosen form of government.
I do feel for producers and broadcasters. They definitely need definition.
More importantly, we need to hold the offender accountable for breaking
indecency laws, not necessarily the broadcaster unless they break the
indecency laws by KNOWINGLY broadcast inappropriate material. True, that
is hard to determine for live events. But I see no reason to exempt News
from decency laws.
We do have decency laws (both political and sexual) and the level of
decency is defined. Not word by word or action by action, but as what the
general public views as decent. Unfortunately, prosecution of decency has
fallen dramatically since Clinton held office (source: Frontline/PBS).
In response to the producer's role, I would think a good producer would
want reliable talent with integrity, would disseminate the talent's
responsibility to perform with the law, and provide reasonably adequate
equipment and alternate content to respond to an offending situation.
Dan Grimes
Mark Schubin
<tvmark@earthlink To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
.net> cc:
Sent by: Subject: [opendtv] Re: Garrison
Keillor: Talk about obscenity
opendtv-bounce@fr
eelists.org
09/14/2005 11:02
AM
Please respond to
opendtv
dgrimes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>I would like to say that we all need to be held accountable for our
actions
>and neither broadcasters nor congressional leaders should be exempt.
>
I am currently involved in a major project for a live entertainment show
that will be seen worldwide. I'm sorry to be cryptic about the show,
but I don't wish to cause the producers or broadcasters any embarrassment.
In any case, the show, as I say, is to be entertainment. It will have
major performers. It is a live show. They producers are anxiously
trying to figure out what to do to prevent the U.S. broadcasters from
being fined should one of those performers do something inappropriate
(and the definition of "inappropriate" changes regularly at the FCC,
even between staff and commissioners and from day to day). With a short
delay, we can bleep a bad word (if we know what those words are). But
what do we do if a whole act seems to go beyond the pale? And what if
it's political rather than scatological/sexual? How do we fill a
15-minute hole in a live broadcast? Should the producers search out
bland talent?
No one is trying to shirk responsibility, but no one has a rulebook,
either.
TTFN,
Mark
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