[BC] Indecency bill

[Rich Wood]

------ At 04:17 PM 6/8/2006, Sid Schweiger wrote: -------

>The biggest problem I have with this is that I haven't heard so much as
>one tiny peep out of the broadcasting community.  Are we so unwilling to
>defend ourselves against arbitrary and capricious regulations and
>confiscatory fines (at least for some owners) for something that no one
>can define to anyone's satisfaction?

This might be a good thing. When the fines are low it's a cost of 
doing business and we pay them knowing we'd probably win in court 
because of the vagueness of the rules. If Infinity was willing to pay 
$1.7 million to settle Howard Stern's problems and Clear Channel paid 
to wipe out past "indecencies" the fines will have to be huge to 
inspire companies to take the FCC to court and make them firm up the 
rules. At this point no one knows what's technically indecent.

On the other hand, we might end up with some pretty dull and lifeless 
programming out of fear of fines if we even lick the envelope.

Rich


Rich Wood
Rich Wood Multimedia
Phone: 413-454-3258