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FCC Is Investigating Super Bowl Show: Entire Halftime Performance Faces Indecency Standards Test
Washington Post ^ | February 3, 2004 | Frank Ahrens and Lisa de Moraes

Posted on 02/02/2004 8:08:45 PM PST by new cruelty

The Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation into Sunday's controversial Super Bowl halftime show yesterday and FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell telephoned Mel Karmazin, president of CBS parent Viacom Inc., to express his outrage, saying the entertainment giant should have known what was going to transpire during the show.

The FCC probe will encompass the entire halftime program -- including the brief exposure of singer Janet Jackson's breast and the sexualized dance routine precipitating it -- to determine if it violates indecency standards set in law and enforced by the FCC.

If indecency violations are found, each of Viacom's 200 owned and affiliate stations could face a penalty of up to $27,500. FCC officials said the agency may also pursue penalties against CBS and the individual performers, Jackson and Justin Timberlake

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fcc; michaelpowell; nipplegate; superbowl; viacom
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To: unix
In spite of it all....I thought the game was great!

Red

141 posted on 02/02/2004 11:53:20 PM PST by Conservative4Ever (Last year I was conceited.........this year I'm perfect.)
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To: Fenris6
Okay..here's the deal.."Laws on the books". That's what I have a problem with. I'm no dummy, I have to take the good with the bad. What I fear is that "laws on the books" will turn out to be some monstrosity later down the line for all of us, no matter what we believe in, or oppose.

I've tried to hold out, but, fwiw, I don't condone what Jackosn or Timberlake did. QUite honestly, I would pay good money to see a real man beatthe shit out of timberlake for that type of behavior (not on FCC controlled airwaves *cough*cough* ;) )

At any rate, I look at something like CFR. And I ask you, is it that much of a stretch before politics full on get's involved in what we see on a daily basis? I do not believe morality can be legislated. I do however believe that enough of us turning off our set's can send a message. In other words, let us, the consumers dictate. Not the Gov't (forgive my cynical views) and special interests.

Anytime that we, being in the purchasing power side of the house can dicate, we can win. I do not believe for a minute there is a market to see black chicks getting half their bra's (costume) ripped off by some white kid (read wouse ;) ) is gonna do anything for the companies sponsoring that bullcrap.

142 posted on 02/02/2004 11:57:01 PM PST by Michael Barnes ( <a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com">miserable failure </a>)
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To: unix
You may be too young to remember and if so, you may not know about America's BLUE LAWS.

It wasn't until the late 1950s, that proscribed books were even allowed to be sold out in the open. The first one " cleared ", was " LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER ". Compared to what passes for "dirty" today, that is one of THE cleanest books written.

" BANNED IN BOSTON " is NOT just some old band...it was what the city of Boston did to certain books, plays, and movies. They were far from the ONLY places in the USA to have such a code.

You may not want government intervention in this area, but even the FFs were NOT against it!

You have young children. You can keep them from prurient garbage at home. Once they leave your home, you lose that control.

There is a HUGE difference, between classical painting of nudes and nude statuary and the sexual outrages shown on T.V., in some movies,and barring from the covers of some magazines, signs, and such.

143 posted on 02/02/2004 11:57:49 PM PST by nopardons
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To: Fenris6
Yes, I do need to agree that my kids at every turn should not be subjected to falacies of the human condition. I do believe by and large that man and woman have come this far by respect for one and other and how we bring up the younrger gerneation. Viacom does not help us further this. So, I will back peddle.

Ya got me there (damint) ;)

But forgive my hope that there is enough of us out here that we do not need gov't to tell us that...

144 posted on 02/03/2004 12:02:32 AM PST by Michael Barnes ( <a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com">miserable failure </a>)
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To: Conservative4Ever
re #141

Yes, very good game..I was pulling for the panthers, but great none the less..

145 posted on 02/03/2004 12:06:16 AM PST by Michael Barnes ( <a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com">miserable failure </a>)
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To: unix
"I do not believe morality can be legislated."

Once more on point - our laws are already a codification of morality.

I share your concern re government over-reaching, or some Jerry Falwell telling us what we can & can't do - I just don't see that danger in this instance. Punish Viacom financially (and not a mere 27k per affiliate). Make them into an object lesson for the others.

If the government is going to give the networks free access to airwaves, then the same government is responsible for regulating those networks.

"I do however believe that enough of us turning off our set's can send a message."

I don't believe. Look at the consumer effect re boycotts of French products (over Iraq) and Showtime (over the hit piece re Reagan). Both were major grass-roots efforts that had neglible effect.

146 posted on 02/03/2004 12:08:16 AM PST by Fenris6
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To: nopardons
Once they leave your home, you lose that control.

And that is just it as well...To hide it all, or not to hide? Once they leave my dominion,they are on their own. Before they do, it's up to me to prepare them to make proper decisions. Personal accountability and responsibility.

Thanks for the background info BTW...Appreciate it.

147 posted on 02/03/2004 12:09:52 AM PST by Michael Barnes ( <a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com">miserable failure </a>)
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To: Fenris6
neglible effect??!! I reacll threads on this very site of the french pissing and moaning about their dismal economy over such and...er..

Wait, it's the french, nevermind....That's jsut what they do..

Okay, seriously..g'night..thanks again..

148 posted on 02/03/2004 12:12:45 AM PST by Michael Barnes ( <a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com">miserable failure </a>)
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To: stands2reason
That'd make a good tagline...

Thanks for the suggestion -- I'll try it out!

149 posted on 02/03/2004 12:17:13 AM PST by NYCVirago (Note to NFL: When P Diddy is your classiest performer at the halftime show, you have a real problem.)
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To: unix
"neglible effect??!!"

Yeppers. Didn't change their policy re Iraq. Didn't prevent Viacom from farming off their smear of Reagan to Showtime.

I don't think Hollywood will "get it" until some idiot strolls into the Grammy's wearing a suicide belt.

"Okay, seriously..g'night..thanks again.."

You too. And get some sleep :)

Cheers
Fen
150 posted on 02/03/2004 12:19:13 AM PST by Fenris6
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To: new cruelty
You left out that they can grab their crotches. nelly was in top crotch grabbing form last night.

I'm sure that his mommy was so proud of him.

151 posted on 02/03/2004 12:19:26 AM PST by judgeandjury
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To: unix
I didn't mean when they leave, as in when they are grown or mostly grown...I meant when they leave your home NOW!

As parents ( my child is now an adult ), we do everything we can, to protect,guide,and prepare them for the outside world.We try to teach our child/children well and make them responsible. It's a tough job and getting tougher.

Your welcome,re the history lesson. Unfortunately,it seems that many of those born after after the time when BLUE LAWS were around and enforced, don't know that they existed.

152 posted on 02/03/2004 12:25:22 AM PST by nopardons
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To: Fenris6
I don't think Hollywood will "get it" until some idiot strolls into the Grammy's wearing a suicide belt.

Speaking of which, somebody needs to investigate how the heck that streaker was able to run around unmolested (no pun intended) on the field for a minute or so before being tackled. While I do find it amusing that CBS somehow managed not to show him, but they showed Janet's breast (of course, the streaker had an advertisement written on him -- CBS couldn't possibly show that!), at the same time, I find it appalling that he wasn't stopped immediately. What moron gave this clown the credentials to be so close to the field in the first place -- MTV?

153 posted on 02/03/2004 12:30:34 AM PST by NYCVirago (Note to NFL: When P Diddy is your classiest performer at the halftime show, you have a real problem.)
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To: NYCVirago
Rumors are he was an MTV Executive :)
154 posted on 02/03/2004 12:33:01 AM PST by Fenris6
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To: weegee
Clear Channel RADIO was just cited for a comedy sketch that "crossed the line". The fine was $750,000. That is single market radio.

Fining a media conglomerate the likes of Clear Channel let alone a station in the Tampa market $750,000 is pocket change. If the FCC intends on sending media giants, and TV and Radio stations the message of "NO MORE!", they need to jack the fines up higher. The fines that they dish out now, they just as well let these thugs off with a slap on the wrist.

155 posted on 02/03/2004 5:11:43 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: unix
I thought the FCC was brought about to curtail stations from stomping all over each other on frequecies

All part of the enforcement, which is what they did in this instance. They saw a clear violation of decency standards that they draw upon, and enforced them. Bubba The Love Sponge acting like a complete jackass on the radio in a single market is one thing, baring a breast on national TV in clear violation of FCC broadcast guidelines is yet another.

The envelope of what goes and what doesn't is constantly being pushed all the time on TV and radio, and I think the FCC has about had enough.

If the FCC intends on enforcing the rules with broadcasters flirting the limits of the rules, the FCC better start jacking up the fines if they mean business, rather than letting every other idiot get away with it unscathed.

156 posted on 02/03/2004 5:24:12 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: nopardons
" BANNED IN BOSTON " is NOT just some old band...it was what the city of Boston did to certain books, plays, and movies. They were far from the ONLY places in the USA to have such a code.

Reminds me of the episode of M*A*S*H where BJ and Hawkeye saw a story in the Boston Globe where the movie The Moon Is Blue was banned, and tried like hell to get it screened in the mess tent. In the end, as usual, they ended up being made a fool of when they convinced a lowly clerk to exchange the label of the State Fair with the Moon Is Blue, while Colonel Potter had connections with another Colonel to get The Moon Is Blue. The movie started, and the camp was treated to State Fair. LOL

157 posted on 02/03/2004 5:29:30 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: NYCVirago
Howard Stern got fined a million for simply talking about breasts, let alone showing them!

Dennis The Menace got laughed outta the NPR studio in Iowa for showing a DoD budget chart on the radio! LOL

158 posted on 02/03/2004 5:35:22 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: kellynla
CBS itself owns and operates 16 stations nationwide, and controls 34 Viacom stations nationally. That's 50, not 200, giving a grand total of $1.3 million dollars, which is less than a 30 second Super Bowl ad.
159 posted on 02/03/2004 5:40:43 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: Timesink
Thanks for the info.
160 posted on 02/03/2004 6:00:34 AM PST by new cruelty (Better the devil you know than the devil you don't)
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