In its continuing crackdown on on-air profanity, the FCC has requested numerous tapes from broadcasters that might include vulgar remarks from unruly spectators, coaches and athletes at live sporting events, industry sources said.
Tapes requested by the commission include live broadcasts of football games and NASCAR races where the participants or the crowds let loose with an expletive. While commission officials refused to talk about its requests, one broadcast company executive said the commission had asked for 30 tapes of live sports and news programs.
"It looks like they want to end live broadcast TV,'' said one executive, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity. ''We already know that they aren't afraid to go after news."
While live programming always has been problematic for broadcasters, it has become even more difficult under tougher commission rules approved in 2004. The new rules found that virtually any use of certain expletives will be considered profane and indecent, even if it is a slip of the tongue. In a March decision, the FCC found that the CBS news program "The Early Show'' violated its indecency rules because of a profane slip-up but did not issue a fine because the incident occurred before the new rules were instituted.
Live sports -- amateur, college and professional -- have long been a broadcast programming staple. Broadcasters have spent enormous amounts of money and energy to come up with ways to give audiences a better feel for the action. As broadcasters vie for viewers, technical advances that include such things as on-field microphones and in-car cameras have become as important as the announcers.
OK, American Public, watch what you say during that exciting football, baseball, or soccer game. The "Thought SS" are listening.
As for broadcasters, you had better stop recording of audiences at all live events. Restrict broadcasts of live events to your commentators only. After all, you don't want to be hauled off to jail because an excited fan exercised his/her right to free speech and used an unapproved word.
These people need to get a life!
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