



Bill would prevent indecency fines against cable

Content Regulation | Feature | April 4, 2005

News Media Update WASHINGTON, D.C. Broadcasting April 4, 2005



http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news/bill-would-prevent-indecency-fines-against-cable

Bill would prevent indecency fines against cable

The "Stamp Out Censorship Act" would counter attempts to regulate programming beyond broadcast television.

April 4, 2005 -- The Federal Communications Commission would be prohibited from slapping indecency fines on cable and satellite television and the Internet, under a bill introduced by Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Nonpublic broadcasts such as those on cable and satellite television and the Internet are not now subject to indecency regulation. Sanders wants to keep it that way by preventing the FCC from penalizing indecency aired by "providers of video over cable television systems, satellite carriers, the Internet" or nonbroadcast providers, according to the"Stamp Out Censorship Act of 2005,"introduced March 17.

Sanders spoke against the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005," which would raise broadcast indecency fines. The "specter of censorship is growing in America today, and we have got to stand firmly in opposition to it," Sanders said on the House floor in February. "What America is about is not necessarily liking what you have to say or agreeing with you, but it is your right to say it."

Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), Rick Boucher (D-Va.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Diane Watson (D-Calif.) are cosponsoring the bill, which was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

- See more at:



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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4186538





(Release from Cong. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), so is included here in full as public domain)



This is what the democrats should be addressing, instead of trying pandering to the "traditional family values" crowd.



http://bernie.house.gov/indecency.asp



Indecency





Representative Bernie Sanders is extremely concerned about the growing trends toward censorship and authoritarian government that we are seeing in the United States today. Earlier this year, Members of the House and the Senate, as well as the new Chairman of the FCC, Kevin Martin, expressed their desire to apply FCC indecency rules to programming provided over cable and satellite as well as material on the Internet. This move would represent an unprecedented expansion of federal power to control what Americans see and hear. Unlike broadcast programming, which is sent into peoples homes over the publicly-owned airwaves, consumers voluntarily sign up for and pay for cable, satellite and Internet service. Allowing the FCC to regulate these services would, in essence, permit the government to control what content people can buysomething that even former FCC Chairman Michael Powell says is unconstitutional.



Just as troubling is the incredibly vague language which defines the FCC's decency standards. This unclear language has already caused broadcast stations to self-censor material because they do not want to risk receiving exorbitant fines. Extending these vague standards to paid programming will cause controversial and cutting-edge programming will grow increasingly rare. If Americans want to watch The Sopranos, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, or other programs targeted to adult audiences, the FCC should not be able to stop them. If we start regulating cable for indecency, where will it end? Will it soon be indecent for people on television to criticize the President? Is that the far rights definition of freedom?



In March of 2005 Representative Sanders introduced H.R. 1440, The Stamp Out Censorship Act. This bill, which has 20 bi-partisan cosponsors, would clarify that the Federal Communications Commissions power to regulate indecency applies only to material broadcast over the public airwaves and does not extend to cable, satellite, the Internet, or any other medium. This legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.









Not promoting child porn, but protecting freedom of speech on the Internet. This ws back in the Dark Ages of the Bush administration. I actually posted a thread about it at the time.Bill would prevent indecency fines against cableContent Regulation | Feature | April 4, 2005News Media Update WASHINGTON, D.C. Broadcasting April 4, 2005Bill would prevent indecency fines against cableThe "Stamp Out Censorship Act" would counter attempts to regulate programming beyond broadcast television.April 4, 2005 -- The Federal Communications Commission would be prohibited from slapping indecency fines on cable and satellite television and the Internet, under a bill introduced by Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).Nonpublic broadcasts such as those on cable and satellite television and the Internet are not now subject to indecency regulation. Sanders wants to keep it that way by preventing the FCC from penalizing indecency aired by "providers of video over cable television systems, satellite carriers, the Internet" or nonbroadcast providers, according to the"Stamp Out Censorship Act of 2005,"introduced March 17.Sanders spoke against the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005," which would raise broadcast indecency fines. The "specter of censorship is growing in America today, and we have got to stand firmly in opposition to it," Sanders said on the House floor in February. "What America is about is not necessarily liking what you have to say or agreeing with you, but it is your right to say it."Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), Rick Boucher (D-Va.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Diane Watson (D-Calif.) are cosponsoring the bill, which was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.- See more at: http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news/bill-would-prevent-indecency-fines-against-cable#sthash.P0WQlW7G.dpuf ----------------------------(Release from Cong. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), so is included here in full as public domain)This is what the democrats should be addressing, instead of trying pandering to the "traditional family values" crowd.IndecencyRepresentative Bernie Sanders is extremely concerned about the growing trends toward censorship and authoritarian government that we are seeing in the United States today. Earlier this year, Members of the House and the Senate, as well as the new Chairman of the FCC, Kevin Martin, expressed their desire to apply FCC indecency rules to programming provided over cable and satellite as well as material on the Internet. This move would represent an unprecedented expansion of federal power to control what Americans see and hear. Unlike broadcast programming, which is sent into peoples homes over the publicly-owned airwaves, consumers voluntarily sign up for and pay for cable, satellite and Internet service. Allowing the FCC to regulate these services would, in essence, permit the government to control what content people can buysomething that even former FCC Chairman Michael Powell says is unconstitutional.Just as troubling is the incredibly vague language which defines the FCC's decency standards. This unclear language has already caused broadcast stations to self-censor material because they do not want to risk receiving exorbitant fines. Extending these vague standards to paid programming will cause controversial and cutting-edge programming will grow increasingly rare. If Americans want to watch The Sopranos, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, or other programs targeted to adult audiences, the FCC should not be able to stop them. If we start regulating cable for indecency, where will it end? Will it soon be indecent for people on television to criticize the President? Is that the far rights definition of freedom?In March of 2005 Representative Sanders introduced H.R. 1440, The Stamp Out Censorship Act. This bill, which has 20 bi-partisan cosponsors, would clarify that the Federal Communications Commissions power to regulate indecency applies only to material broadcast over the public airwaves and does not extend to cable, satellite, the Internet, or any other medium. This legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.