Thread: FCC misses an opporunity, remains prude

So, wouldn't it have made sense during this digital revolution to have required all these new TVs/coverter boxes to support something like the V-chip so that it would allow broadcasters to air any content any time like in most civilized countries?


FCC Recommits To Daytime Indecency Ban - 2009-08-31 16:50:07 EDT | Multichannel News

Since this is supposed to be a free country, some of us can't understand why it's the government's business to say what they air at any time.

I agree, but the first step is to find an out to current regulations, and that would be for this standardization of tools or ratings and requiring they be usable to content management in televisions and set top boxes. Doing so years before the digital switchover would have been the ideal situation, too bad nobody had either the will/clout/foresight to do this.

Hoping for it to all just go away is a futile argument so I'm not going to try and make it.

It isa free country but they are public airwaves. The FCC has regulated who can use them and for what purpose since the 19290s. Before that anyone could start broadcasting on any frequency and interference was rampant.


there are some legitimate uses of government regulation in a free country.

They can still choose to show "indecency" in the night time hours.
Unfortunately now days they choose not to.

I can still remember as a kid, watching tv very early in the morning to catch a boob shot.

Originally Posted by Geronimo

It isa free country but they are public airwaves. The FCC has regulated who can use them and for what purpose since the 19290s. Before that anyone could start broadcasting on any frequency and interference was rampant.

And if there were no regulations, someone (Larry Flint perhaps) could buy a station and start running porn at all hours.

Exactly Derwin. I ahve no problem with people watching stuff anytime they want. But putting it on the airwaves is another issue altogether.

I am not awre of any country that does not restrict what can be shown on the airwaves.

There are restrictions, but the US puts an emphasis on the strict part of it. Overseas nudity and innuendo isn't such a crime, can be seen in some commercials and stuff even.

I'd prefer the floodgates be open, and tools be there to empower people to filter out what shouldn't be seen. If an advertiser or program wants to ensure a maximum audience they'd ensure their show gets a particular rating.

The only network I've seen take advantage of the looser restrictions after 10pm is Comedy Central. They've shown the South Park movie, some of the roasts and some other things unedited/censored after 10pm... and it's awesome.

I could be mistaken but I don't think tha tthe FCC regulates the content of basic cable. They do regulate broadcast TV content and I thought that was what wew were talking about with converter boxes.