Here we go again. (And it’s so nice to see AFTRA cave as long as it doesn’t affect them.)
Senate Passes Broadcast Indecency Bill
In a vote of 99-1, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would fine broadcasters as much as $3 million a day for airing indecent content. The measure was tacked on to a larger Defense Department spending bill that was passed without debate. A similar bill has already been passed by the House. While the original bill would also have fined performers who aired racy material, the Senate bill was limited to radio and TV station owners. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) welcomed the decision to exclude artists from the measure. In a statement, AFTRA said, “While legitimate concerns still exist about the possible chilling effect that large broadcaster fines may place upon free speech over the airwaves, we are gratified and relieved that the legislation avoids the pitfall of fining individual performers.”
That high pitched whine! I think AFTRA SHOULD have been included, because now the artists are going to let the station owners take all the heat for the things that performers do. No wonder AFTRA’s pleased. They literally have a license to ill.
How cynical can you get? The bastards that passed this KNEW it was unconstitutional, and that it will get shot down in the courts, but they passed it anyway, just to make it look like they’re doing their phoney-baloney jobs.
Nice to know our tax dollars are hard at work.
Chuck
Sorry Chuck, it’s not a law, it’s a regulation since it’s only about the amount of a fine and who’s responsible.
It’s not unconstitutional because it can’t be. The FCC doesn’t have the authority to make law.