Go Home

FCC Wins Lifetime Award for "Muzzle-ing" Free Speech

from the freeway blogger image at Tales of the Freewayblogger.

The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression has issued their annual "Muzzle" awards, including a lifetime achievement award to the Federal Communications Commission.

Daily Progress.com
:

...the Federal Communications Commission, will receive a “Lifetime Muzzle” for decades of what the Jefferson Center considers to be inconsistent regulation of “indecency” on the nation’s airwaves, which has led to a “profound chilling effect” on broadcasters.
For example, more than 150 TV stations declined to air the World War II film “Saving Private Ryan” out of fear that the FCC would levy heavy fines for the movie’s violent imagery and battlefield swear words. Though the FCC did not hit any stations with fines in that case, it did condemn an “NYPD Blue” episode about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that featured swear words. A call to the FCC for comment was not returned.

About Bluegal aka Fran
Bluegal aka Fran's picture
Executive Producer of The Professional Left Podcast. On staff at Crooks and Liars since 2007. Master's degree from Harvard. Happy wife of Driftglass. Mother of three geniuses. Obsessive knitter. Blogs at http://bgalrstate.blogspot.com. .
Share This Post

Link To This Post


17 Comments
BennyP's picture

FCC is a joke- they stole the pubic airwaves and use them against us.
Take it back- bamn.

P.D.'s picture

The FCC doesn't know what the hell their doing. There are every bit as incompetant as Bush and his cronies. Their responces have be uneven ever since Janet Jackson's boob moment. Look, as a parent, I hate half the shit on TV. But I can always turn the channel and put up blockers. Our government sucks. They should have a slogan, "The FCC, telling you what to watch because you're not smart enough to Decide for yourself."

VietVet8666's picture

It's our country.

What do we want it to be?

Sorry, the emphasis should be on OUR.

Sorry again, American Idol's on.

BennyP's picture

An interesting rogue's gallery
here
http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/previouscommish.html

especially this guy...
Michael Powell
FCC Chairman: January 2001 - March 2005
FCC Commissioner: November 1997 - March 2005

bamboozled's picture

Sorry, but the FCC should definitely get the muzzle award, not for its indecency regulations, but for allowing the media to be consolidated.

That has had a much bigger chilling effect on free speech, allowing big corporations to actually stifle mainstream speech, and completely eliminate minority speech. And even put the screws to Public Television.

P.D.'s picture

Why doesn't the FCC go after Limpballs? His daily rants and hate speeches certainly offend me.

Ron's picture

By far the FCC's biggest failure is the allowance of large corporations to consolidate the news and instead of broadcasting the news, gives us propaganda.

BabyGorilla's picture

"Vodka straight up, thank YOOOOUU!"

BabyGorilla's picture

"Vodka, straight up, thank YOOOOUUU!! "

Erroll's picture

Here is another example of free speech and dissent and patriotism. One wonders why the corporate media have muzzled themselves by not covering this story.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19713.htm

jack damage's picture

Well, after reading the other posts here.. I really ain't got nothing to add that hasn't already been said... I'll just close with what I think the new definition of the initials F.C.C. means at this point...
'fucking clueless cretins'..... Yea, they deserve that award...
Just another government agency the Bush administration has fucked up by placing necon or neocon loving idiot cronies in positions of authority there....JD

igor's picture

don't blame the FCC; blame your congressman!

Andy Fig's picture

Straight from the mouth of the man himself; Howard Zinn! Thank Goodness for that man. Now WE need to add to the Voices of a People's History! lets not let this ROARING BLAZE smolder.

Hate Freedom Fries's picture

Say what you will, I was traumatized by Janet Jackson's boobie

milquetoast's picture

Hooray! the FCC sucks!!!

Let us put it on the list of alphabet agencys that are criminal.

FCC
CIA
SEC
FBI
DOJ
NSA
FDA
TSA
FEMA
DOE
ATF
IRS
someone (feel free) to finish my list...

Sporty's picture

If the people posting comments would take as much time in other actions directed at our elected officials,, then just maybe we would get results...

Paul's picture

The FCC is hyper concerned about swear words or "costume malfunctions", ready to crush any example of such "obscenities". And yet, they are ardent supporters of the most heinously obscene practices imaginable: propaganda. The FCC is a sleazy cathouse that has done nothing prostitute itself to the big media propaganda outlets. Every trust to the American People that they are supposed to be safe-guarding, they have willfully betrayed. They are working hand-in-hand to undermine democracy and freedoms in this country, because they have thrown in their lot with the fascists. The FCC is now a far greater obscenity than any thing they have punished of late. The FCC has long since ceased serving the American People and the American Deomcracy.

Comments are closed on this entry