Stupid Liberals: Pushing for bigger government.

Stupid Conservatives: Keeping the FCC alive.

I never really thought that not being able to swear on network television and radio was a bad thing. I don't think it should be a big deal. Entertainers should be clever enough to be funny without having to curse and be lewd? Take Brian Regan, for example.

I like Penn and Teller. I think they are both funny and smart. I like B*llSh*t! for the same reasons. But in this case (and in other episodes), They are just plain wrong. The airwaves are a limited public resource. And they are going to get even more limited in 2009 when we lose channels 52 through 69 to private for profit companies. At that point, we will have 49 broadcast channels available in any market for television.

If the FCC were to disappear tomorrow, the following things would happen

#1. More broadcasters would be owned be fewer larger corporations.
#2. local content would disappear
#3. PEG (Public access, Educational and local Government) channels would disappear from cable.
#4. Programs aimed at Educating or Instructing kids would disappear from all channels.
#5. Standards, like NTSC and ATSC would start to balkanize. Look at cable boxes and satellite boxes to see this. You have to run Comcast's cable box, their software, their DVR, their digital package to watch TV.
#6. Cheap products produced somewhere else would start appearing that make no guarantees of safety or that they won't interfere with your TV reception. Because there would be no body to license these devices.
#7. TV ratings would disappear. I got kids and I like that idea that TV content is rated. I wouldn't let my kids watch the Sopranos but I'm happy that it's rated and that I know what to expect. That way, I can avoid it when watching TV with my kids and other people can watch it. That's all good.

There's a place for government. I like the idea that government inspectors are making sure the meat I buy is safe. I like the idea that cops are there to protect and serve me. I like the idea that we have a military to protect us from other countries that want to do us harm.

As for the idea that FCC is currently limited to over the air broadcast, that just isn't accurate. Satellite and cable companies have FCC regulations that they are currently obligated to follow. For instance, "must carry" rules, "basic service tier" requirements, etc.

I believe in the context of this video they are talking about no need for the FCC to have control over "content" of radio and TV. Most of the points you made about the FCC would not fall under that.

It could be argued that #1 is already the case. I would also say that #2,#4, and #7 would not go away because the market wouldn't support it. If viewers want local content it will be provided if anyone wants those ratings. Same for children and educational shows...the amount of children and educational shows currently available is far more then what is even required by the FCC because it's good business. There are entire channels dedicated to children and educational programming because that is the market they are catering to. And about the ratings going away right now programs are voluntarily rated by the broadcast and cable television networks...so I don't see that going away if the FCC gets out of the business of controlling content.

BrightGuy, that's all fine and good and that's the reason to have the FCC, to regulate spectrum...but not to police the airwaves on the content. Decency should be left to the listener/viewer, not from some government agency who won't even say what they'll fine for...you have to air something and get fined first before they'll tell you. When they wanted to run Saving Private Ryan a few years ago on broadcast TV they asked the FCC would they get fined, the FCC said they won't answer that...basically telling them air it and find out!

All this to "protect the children"...you know what, I'm sick of the goddamn children...

Change that misleading title. Penn never mentions getting rid of the FCC. He only points out that it should have no control over content.

"Stupid Liberals: Pushing for bigger government."

Stupid lemming. Spewing the same old tired right-wing dogma without the ability to see what is going on around him with any clarity whatsoever, as if you are the first Ditto-head to infect VS instead of the thousandth. You're a little late to the "big government" party, man-boy. All the other guests have booked over to the "Hillary is Satan" dinner, but it's $1000 a plate, and 99 percent of your fellow neocon toadies can't afford it. But you can press your nose up to the window and adore them from out in the cold like you and your fellow tools always do.

deedub81 wrote:

I never really thought that not being able to swear on network television and radio was a bad thing. I don't think it should be a big deal. Entertainers should be clever enough to be funny without having to curse and be lewd? Take Brian Regan, for example.