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Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency?

By TChris, Section Media
Posted on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 05:42:33 PM EST
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by TChris

By the overwhelming margin of 389-38, the House of Representatives sent a strong message about the importance of keeping nipples covered during the Superbowl -- at least Janet Jackson's nipple. The House passed a bill that increases the maximum fine that can be imposed upon a broadcaster for "indecency" from $32,500 to $500,000. The bill apparently does not apply to right wing lunatics who shriek at their talk show guests, a sight far more indecent than a briefly exposed breast.

Unsurprisingly, the White House says that higher maximum fines "will make broadcast television and radio more suitable for family viewing." Creative artists worry that they will become the target of fines, which (until now) have always been levied against broadcasters rather than individuals. The House bill increases the maximum that can be assessed against an individual from $11,000 to $500,000. A similar bill in the Senate would set the maximum fine against broadcasters at $350,000 but makes no change in the maximum that performers can be ordered to pay.

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    • Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? | 35 comments (35 topical)
    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 06:15:29 PM EST
    hello from Uruguay, sorry my horrible english. indecency???? and the violence of american football isn't more indecent than a nipple????

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 06:29:32 PM EST
    Don't worry I won't watch it, but my point is that we return to the people vs larry flint, what's more obscene, sex or war?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#3)
    by rob on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 06:35:04 PM EST
    Um, lots of constitutional issues here, given that fines now apply against individuals. Looks like we're in for a fight, but a fight that can be won.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 06:57:18 PM EST
    To Doctor Ace: I didn't realize that every TV show was suppose to announce exactly what was going to happen in the show beforehand, so much for those cliffhanger endings on Law and Order. Also, the fine is for indecency, not for showing something that is unexpected. Even if the event is billed as a "titty show" it still doesn't change the arbitrary definition of indecency as decided by appointed officials.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#5)
    by glanton on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 07:11:19 PM EST
    Doctor Ace et al: All of us who actually watched the Super Bowl know that the "titty moment" itself happened so quickly it was like a blur and noone actually saw anything LIVE. It was only when the internet ran wild with it, and then the pundits wouldn't shut up about it, that it exploded. So to me, that right there pretty much destroys the whole "kids were watching it!" argument anyway. Kids probably didn;t notice it when it happened.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 07:21:58 PM EST
    yes, but I can´t understand how kids can watch a big man pushing other men and blood on their faces to get a ball???

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 07:38:35 PM EST
    S**t I missed it. Conservative America has it all just about locked up. The Faux News Ministry of information has the party line down pat. CNN will slowly fade to "network" status. The print media will be read by only those with the time (poolside with the laptop) or a vested interest (Financial and/or Horoscope). Families can dine each night together with Brit Hume filling them in on the days real important news stuff (has he resigned yet? Thought not), and not only feed their stomachs, but also their heads with a healthy dose of fear. Fear of terrorism. Fear of drugs. Fear of Gays. Fear of this. Fear of that. What's for dessert?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 08:01:11 PM EST
    Welcome, Che Vive, and your English is just fine.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Johnny on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 08:24:16 PM EST
    Ace, if ya don't like the titty, don't watch it. If ya don't like the violence (that may or may not happen, never know!) don;t watch it. A game whose target audience is overwhelmingly male is going to have overwhelmingly male oriented "occurences" Or something. Vive la pre-emptive censorship!

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 10:25:01 PM EST
    What percent of homes in the U.S. now have cable? The reason for FCC decency restrictions, historically speaking, is because of the prevelance of broadcasting access to American homes, the intrusiveness of that access, and the relatively few choices offered. Hasn't cable made all that reasoning obsolete?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 10:42:04 PM EST
    Go back to "Leave It To Beaver" I support the ruling today regarding the increased fines. Why - because we are busy working to become a society of ownership and wealth. This means that parents do not have time to raise their children and must depend on other things to pick up the slack. We must now move more aggressively to legislate more and more morality. Even better, lets go back to "Leave It To Beaver". This shows that all good families are white and all good mothers stay home to raise their children.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#12)
    by bad Jim on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 01:09:22 AM EST
    For some reason nobody gets exercised over the display of male nipples, even though they look about the same as female nipples. I have to wonder how many people are aroused by seeing a big round tit and then find that it belongs to some fat guy. We're mammals! I was nursed. Yum yum. Weren't you? What's the point of the outrage?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 01:41:47 AM EST
    The outrage is nonsense, but what else isn't in the fake media scene swirling around the unelected Bush and his cohorts? The Super Bowl is among the worst entertainment extravaganzas in the year, featuring almost uniformly AWFUL American football. And that particular barf-fest was close to the worst. The whole idea that liberals, Americans, human beings, or pet goldfish are supposed to get on our back legs and bark when right-wing thugs in suits point at corporate MTV and corporate Superbowl's abysmally stupid programming is so ridiculous that it almost buggers imagination. I find it offensive to see mountains of faked corpses on every channel, and not seeing the coffins of the soldiers Bush has killed. Janet Jackson's nipple in a rigid Roman harness with a rigid metal Roman sunburst around it...well, that just makes me wonder which thinktank overpaid for the Freudian mind control software. Cut to the bread and circuses, roll out Jeff Gannon on a catapult, with his catamite, and have him sell Vegemite on the end of his naked... Oh, nevermind. Did they all grow up fixated on National Geographic and their father's rear end?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#14)
    by john horse on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 04:30:01 AM EST
    Speaking of indecency, Raed in the Middle and War Historian talk about a website of photos taken by our servicemen in Iraq (link found through Liberaloasis) (Raed links to the site with the photos - WARNING EXTREME GRAPHIC PHOTOS). What is particularly tasteless are some of the captions that accompany these photos. For example, next to a photo of a dead Iraqi with his face shot away is this "Come on in and give me some sugar." A bloated corpse has this, "Does this death make me look fat?" Will someone tell me again how our troops are trained to respect the Iraqis.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#16)
    by kdog on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 07:34:22 AM EST
    C'mon Ace, I ain't buying this dishonesty hooey. Have you ever watched a football game on tv? The Coors commercials, plenty of t&a there. The cheerleaders, usually (hopefully!) scantily clad. The Levitra commercials. There is no end to the sexual content during a football broadcast. No one was truly surprised, only the same 10,000 jesus freaks who think they can define indecency for everybody, and who complain about everything to the FCC or whoever will listen. Let the viewers decide. If the majority find it offensive, they won't watch, advertisers won't buy time, and the show goes away. Wants wrong with that?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 07:49:50 AM EST
    Che Vive asks:
    the violence of american football isn't more indecent than a nipple????
    Sorry, Che. We Americans are hypocrites. You haven't heard in Uraguay? Bad Jim claims that:
    nobody gets exercised over the display of male nipples,
    I have to burst your bubble Bad Jim. LOL - the last time I saw a pair of male nipples I got plenty of exercise!

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 08:17:35 AM EST
    Will the fines apply to the 8+ cut public websites of correspondents in the White House briefing room?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 08:44:42 AM EST
    I haven't followed this story closely... is it now considered fact that this was a "planned exposure?" Doctor Ace - I can't say that your postings are hypocritical, but I can say that we as arbiters of Freedom and Democracy are every time our National Interests trump human rights decisions. When the hens come home to roost, it's everyone elses fault. We look about as silly to the world complaining about a breast before a bunch of guys slug it out on a field while being cheered on by scantily (last time I checked) cheerleaders whose miniscule skirts cutely expose their "briefs" underneath (take that, Virginia!) and whose midriffs are bared to the bra - as we did jumping up and down about Clinton's blow job while millions of people were suffering genocide, political oppression, and "real" problems with their country's leadership.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#20)
    by kdog on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 09:35:42 AM EST
    Ace...All pop music is today is a t&a show. Every female pop-singer today is selling more than their voice. Jackson, Beyonce, Lopez, Ashanti, Simpson, Spears, Aguilera...all smoking hot and showing skin. Only someone living in a bubble would think any of the above can be defined as "wholesome family entertainment". The NFL, CBS, MTV...they all knew what they were getting with their half-time show. They just didn't expect the jesus brigade to get so much attention. Nothing dishonest about it.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#21)
    by Che's Lounge on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 09:35:50 AM EST
    Bienvenidos Fuser!

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 11:41:02 AM EST
    Well it sure is good to know our representatives have their eyes on the really important things. I mean, what are the 13 appropriations bills that are required by federal law when they could be debating the significance of Janet Jackson's nipples? 289-38 no less. Who said bipartisanship was dead?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#23)
    by kdog on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 12:48:23 PM EST
    DUUUUUUUH Yourself Ace. Have you ever tuned into MTV? Every video shows partially exposed breasts. When the NFL hired MTV to put on a halftime show, what did they expect?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#24)
    by kdog on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 01:48:26 PM EST
    justpaul...well said. There are at least 38 people in Washingtom with some semblance of a grasp of reality.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#25)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 02:03:06 PM EST
    Farrah Fawcett.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#26)
    by jondee on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 03:31:11 PM EST
    Average football career something like 2 to 3 years mainly due to devestating injuries,and boxing is about as socially redeeming and morally excusable as dog fighting, but God save us from that most horrific and corrupting of spectacles,the female nipple. And its about time we did something about all those publicly displayed "classical" statues while we're at it.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#27)
    by Adept Havelock on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 04:15:38 PM EST
    What do you expect from a nation founded by people so tight-assed the English kicked them out.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 05:21:55 PM EST
    JJ was a classic attempt by the Left to subvert popular opinion by getting their way "by whatever means necessary", not unlike the activist judges making all sorts of crazy rulings. Except this time there was recourse. **And note for future stunts: if you're going to show us a nipple, at least put Brittany up there... [Neocon, you have just been limited to four comments a day on TalkLeft. You have 17 posted already. Come back tomorrow, if you must, and pace yourself. All in excess of four will be deleted.]

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 06:12:21 PM EST
    "The titty is not the issue; the dishonesty is. "Keyes", don't be an a**; everyone know what to expect from the Super Bowl." First of all, you should watch your language Ace, TL doesn't like profanity, they have a real stick up their...well, you know. Anyway, what to expect from the Superbowl, hm...Should I expect cheerleaders wearing practically no clothing and shaking their assets on camera? You know, funny thing, even with her nipple expose, Janet was still more clothed than the average cheerleader. So...women dancing provocatively is to be expected at the Superbowl. Therefore, your argument becomes void.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 06:13:12 PM EST
    No doubt straight talk is a foreigh concept to the left. This thread proves it. The titty is not the issue; the dishonesty is. "Keyes", don't be an a**e; everyone know what to expect from the Super Bowl. I'm sure you know what to expect from "Law and Order" (I've never seen it; I don't have the time to waste). Paul, no one gives a rat's arse about your opinion of "American" football; if you don't like it, don't watch it. Johnny, see "Keyes" above. If your complaint is censorship, then, yes, unelected officials can arbitrarily call the shots. This is what must be addressed.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#30)
    by kdog on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 07:41:08 PM EST
    Ace...all I can say is I understand what you saying, but it doesn't make sense.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 06:02:44 AM EST
    Kdog, if JJ wants to have a titty show, she needs to negotiate having a titty show with the NFL.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#32)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 06:16:16 AM EST
    The NFL got what they paid for. If they didn't want something racy, they should have had Nickelodeon do their halftime, not MTV.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 08:34:01 AM EST
    JJ was a classic attempt by the Left to subvert popular opinion by getting their way "by whatever means necessary"
    hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    not unlike the activist judges making all sorts of crazy rulings
    hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    if you're going to show us a nipple, at least put Brittany up there...
    Because she's young or because she's white, Neocon?? I hope you're under 30 - if not you're a creep. The color thing? Well...that's your business.

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#34)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 11:52:40 AM EST
    Kdog... Let the viewers decide. If the majority find it offensive, they won't watch, advertisers won't buy time, and the show goes away. Wants wrong with that? I agree... The FCC got their panties in a wad over a few phone calls! How many 'millions' watched and could care less?

    Re: Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? (none / 0) (#35)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 19, 2005 at 12:52:09 AM EST
    "Ass, as in assinine, Alan. Look it up." Ok, I looked it up. I didn't see the word "assinine" anywhere in there...

    Indecency Fines or Fine Indecency? | 35 comments (35 topical)