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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lurqer who wrote (39135)	3/9/2004 1:37:56 PM
From: lurqer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

So is our legislature imitating Indonesia - Message 19893967 Senators Move Forward on Tougher Indecency Standards By Jonathan Krim A Senate panel today paved the way for a broad crackdown on offensive radio and television programming, including extending stiff fines to artists, limiting violence and temporarily preventing broadcasters from owning more stations until potential links between media consolidation and indecency on the airwaves can be studied. The series of votes by the Senate Commerce Committee could sharply raise the stakes for the entertainment industry, in the wake of public outcry over a halftime Super Bowl show in which performer Janet Jackson's breast was bared by singer Justin Timberlake. The incident sparked swift condemnation and investigations by the Federal Communications Commission, and bills are rapidly advancing in both the House and Senate to strengthen the FCC's hand as the overseer of broadcast licenses. Following the lead of the House Energy and Commerce Committee earlier this month, the Senate panel approved increasing potential fines for indecency ten-fold, from the current $27,500 to a maximum of $275,000 for a first-time offense by a broadcaster. The fines can escalate to $375,00 for a second violation and $500,000 for further incidents. But the Senate panel added several new provisions that push well past the House bill, setting up potentially contentious negotiations between the two bodies. Under provisions passed by the panel, the FCC can double fines for indecent, obscene or profane language or images when the offending programming was scripted or planned in advance, or if the audience was unusually large, such as for a national or international sporting or awards event. That would encompass entertainment award shows, during which artists have uttered expletives. The bill approved by the panel also would give the FCC the ability to impose the same fines on artists as it can impose on broadcasters, if the on-air talent willfully used indecent or profane language or images when they knew it would be broadcast. And the bill would direct the FCC to develop rules for controlling violent programming during hours when children are likely to be tuned in. Perhaps most controversial will be an amendment by Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) that would impose a moratorium on rules passed by Congress late last year that allow for some media organizations to get larger. The amendment, which passed on a 13-10 vote, directs the General Accounting Office to study the relationship between indecent programming and media consolidation before the new ownership rules can take effect. By a narrow 12-11 vote, the committee defeated a provision that would have extended the FCC oversight provisions of indecency and violence to cable and satellite programming, except for pay-per-view channels such as HBO. washingtonpost.com lurqer