FCC must think you can't control what your children watch or they think you can't be a parent. By way of the Newark Star Ledger who printed this article from The Washington Post called FCC Seeks to Rein in Violent TV Shows, the FCC now believes that they need to get more oversight into what's being broadcast 6AM and 10PM. According to the article you fine the following backwards thinking from the FCC:
- Federal regulators, concerned about the effect of television violence on children, will recommend that Congress enact legislation to give the government unprecedented powers to curb violence in entertainment programming
- regulating TV violence is in the public interest, particularly during times when children are likely to be viewers
- concludes that Congress has the authority to regulate "excessive violence" and to extend its reach for the first time into basic-cable TV channels that consumers pay to receive.
- "Parents are always the first and last line of defense in protecting their children, but legislation could give parents more tools," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said yesterday regarding the report. "I think it would be better if the industry addressed this on its own, but we can also give parents" help through regulation.
You know what Mr. Martin? I don't need your help and I certainly don't want any help. Protecting what is watched by our children is the job of the parent, not the US Government. I choose what they watch and when and they are not allowed to watch any shows unless we watch and approve it first. Plus, with TiVo I control what shows are available to them.
Mandating what we are allowed to watch is just another form of Government censorship even if it is done under the guise of protecting children from violence. Plus, how does the Government decide what is violent and what isn't.
You know what, the nightly news is the most VIOLENT TV show on. Period. End of story. It isn't wresting as mentioned in the article (a small confession - we don't watch that garbage) and while 24 may be violent (that isn't on when the kids are awake), my kids can tell the difference between a fictional story and the actual news. Plus, you can't forecast when violence will be shown on the news.
Seriously Mr. Martin, try watching TV during the day and note which programming is the most violent. It isn't 24, wrestling, Woody Woodpecker cartoons, Battlestar Galactica. Nope - the most violent shows on TV are news programs.
As with most Government interventions, the best solution is to stay out of
people's lives. Sure if you are watching a football game and a breast pops out, there is something wrong. What's wrong as a parent is that you are not expecting a breast to be shown during a football game...Anyway, the FCC needs to find something else better to do than to create work to justify their jobs. They should go back to doing what they do best (actually worst) which is approve mergers like AT&T gobbling up all telecom companies, professing public interest while none of the consumers actually experience competition these days.
PardonMyFrench,
Eric
***********April 27th Update*****************************
- NY Times on FCC Report
- Slate.com article called Save The Children
Eric,
As usual, I am in complete agreement with you on this issue. The FCC feels like it needs to intervene and play uber-parent to the general population, and that is without a doubt not a role that the federal government be playing.
It is a travesty that the FCC has been allowed to push its agenda, without the Congress saying WTF? Amazing
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff Herz | April 24, 2007 at 09:57 PM