FCC 'fleeting expletives' policy in _ for now

[jefferson_dem]

Source: http://www.examiner.com/a-1985356~FCC__fleeting_expletives__policy_in___for_now.html

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The Supreme Court is giving tentative approval to government regulation of the use of even a single curse word on live television.

But the court, in a 5-4 decision Tuesday, is refusing to pass judgment on whether the Federal Communications Commission's "fleeting expletives" policy is in line with First Amendment guarantees of free speech. The justices say a federal appeals court should weigh the constitutionality of the policy.

The decision throws out a ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. The appeals court had found in favor of a Fox Television-led challenge to the policy and had returned the case to the FCC to let the agency provide a "reasoned analysis" for its tougher line on indecency.

The commission appealed to the Supreme Court instead.


Read more: AP

[monmouth]

1. Sometimes, as in the case of Shep Smith of Faux, the expletive is appropriate....n/t

[theblasmo]

5. Ring Tone

I'd love to have Smith's rant as a ring tone for my phone.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Does that mean Fox will have to finally pay the fine the FCC imposed?

[onenote]

13. there was no fine imposed in this case

[VaYallaDawg]

3. I'm convinced Faux and the RW talkers like to use the expletives

just to drive up their popularity with young, white, semi-literate males. Maybe I'm wrong, but it certainly sounds that way.

[No Elephants]

6. I'm pretty fucking sure you hit that fucking nail on the fucking head!

[cindyfaulkner]

8. That is sooooo

bleeping true :)

[Laelth]

10. Welcome to DU!

:dem:

-Laelth

[No Elephants]

4. Fox is fighting a Bush-era regulation seeking to preserve decency in TV? Why do I find that funny?

[onenote]

14. what I don't find funny is FCC Chairman Copps applauding this decision

calling it "a big win for America's families."

[tomm2thumbs]

7. they used to bleep 'diarrhea' and now we sing jingles about it - let all the words go and be done

once the words are all out there, they are harmless - the shock will subside in - uh, maybe 2 months and then we'll all go back to our needlepoint

[HopeHoops]

9. I think most kids can handle a "fleeting expletive", but...

... try explaining a Viagra commercial to a young child!

[izquierdista]

16. Easy

Those little blue pills help men who want to play on the swing go just a bit higher. :rofl:

[Piewhacket]

11. Impeach Scalia Thomas.

[MajorChode]

12. Once again we have GOP appointed activist judges legislating from the bench

The decision is laughable, and although I haven't seen the names of the 5 in the majority, it's not too hard to figure out who they are. Chalk it up as yet another fuckup that is the direct result of electing dipshits like Bush who appoint dipshit justices.

So once again we turn back the clocks to the 1950's when all forms of reason were out the door and ultra orthodox senseless mindsets ruled the day.

So you can show people's heads and limbs getting chopped off, Chuck Norris beating the living shit out of someone, or people eating feces, but God forbid you say the word "fuck" even if it in no way relates to sex or you show just the outer boundaries of a woman's areola.

[santamargarita]

15. Go ahead O'Reilly, tell us what you really think

:mad:

[struggle4progress]

17. Supreme Court Rules that Government Can Fine for 'Fleeting Expletives'

By Robert Barnes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Supreme Court said yesterday that the Federal Communications Commission may penalize even the occasional use of certain expletives on the airwaves but left for another day the question of whether such a policy is constitutional ...

Fox said it was disappointed but "optimistic that we will ultimately prevail when the First Amendment issues are fully aired before the courts" ...

The lingering constitutional question and instability at the FCC make it unclear how the commission will react to the decision. Two seats on the five-member agency are empty, and Julius Genachowski, President Obama's nominee to head the FCC, has not been confirmed by the Senate. Genachowski seems not to take as high an interest in violations of indecency rules as the previous chairman, Kevin Martin, who made the crackdown a priority ...

It has been 30 years since the court considered the afternoon radio broadcast of comedian George Carlin's "Filthy Words" monologue and decided that the government can police the nation's airwaves without violating the First Amendment.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/04/28/ST2009042801819.html