$1.2M fine traced back to only three FCC complaints

Undertoad · 11-15-2004, 08:06 AM

Blogger Jeff Jarvis files Freedom of Information act requests with the FCC to see what complaints led the FCC to fine Fox $1.2 million dollars for airing "Married by America". Their 159 complaints turned out to be 23 people. He then finds that 20 of them are identical photocopies or emails from a "complaint factory".

Quote:

Only two letters were not the form letter.

So in the end, that means that a grand total of three citizens bothered to take the time to sit down and actually write a letter of complaint to the FCC. Millions of people watched the show. Three wrote letters of complaint.

And on the basis of that, the FCC decided to bring down the heavy hammer of government censorship and fine Fox an incredible $1.2 million for suggesting -- not depicting but merely suggesting -- sex on a show that had already been canceled because the marketplace didn't like it anyway.

Kitsune · 11-15-2004, 08:10 AM

Sheesh. Has it always been the FCC's job to dictate what is acceptable on broadcast television? For some reason, I thought it was handled in the past much the same way it is handled on cable television, today: by advertisers.

No, millions watch TV. Only three are outraged.

Judging by the successful programming of today and what it contains, I'd say Americans want more of what the FCC doesn't.

11-15-2004, 10:18 AM

If this story is true, I don't see how the FCC gets away with this. Prime time is filled with plenty of sex on other networks, not to mention violence. The idea of a complaint factory does open many exciting possibilities, however. You could hire it to generate letters of complaint against your boss, the neighbor's dog that always barks until 2:00am in the morning, the meter maid who gave you a parking ticket - the possibilities are endless!

xoxoxoBruce · 11-15-2004, 10:44 AM

Any similarity between the actions of the FCC and public opinion or the will of the people is purely coincidental.
The FCC has always been about censorship.
The FCC has always been out of step.
Do you think that $1,200,000.00 will help balance the FCC’s budget.....or maybe TO balance their budget?

atropos · 11-15-2004, 12:34 PM

Just one more example of big government meddling. If people don't want to see this stuff, the ratings would go down and the network would yank it. We need more free market and fewer morality police!

SteveDallas · 11-15-2004, 02:38 PM

Yeah I read that this morning. While it's a good article, there's one thing wrong with it.

By harping on the "only 3 people got pissed off" point, he implies that there is some number of complaints at which the censorship becomes OK.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-15-2004, 04:26 PM

Yeah but, atropos/Steve, If the market/ratings control the content, millions of people will be watching what they like but we three letter writers won't have anything to watch.

TheFirebrand · 11-15-2004, 04:45 PM

What I find particularly interesting is that it is Fox News Network that is being fined for whipped cream licking and spanking of grown men in their underwear. This is the same Fox News network that just hawked Jenna Jameson's "How to Have Sex Like A Porn Star" during primetime.

This is also the same news network that gears its material towards its supposedly "conservative" audience. Statistically republican, anti-abortion, anti gay marriage.

So I suppose the lesson follows: It's ok to have to have spanky whipped cream sex with strippers during family viewing time and sell sex books on air, as long as it's not about a bunch of heathens are gays...because those people are sick.

Happy Monkey · 11-15-2004, 04:57 PM

It was the Fox Network, not the Fox News Network. Fox News is Conservative, Fox is Lowest Common Denominator.

warch · 11-15-2004, 05:10 PM

Isnt it all Murdoch?

Happy Monkey · 11-15-2004, 05:27 PM

Murdoch is all about the money. Republicans will dismantle antitrust and anti-media-consolidation law, so on his "news" media he promotes Republicans. Lowest Common Denominator entertainment is the best selling stuff, so he puts that on his entertainment media. Sometimes (as with this fine) they conflict, but he stands to make more than $1.2M continuing to support Bush, and he would lose far more than $1.2M removing all the programming that the fundies don't like, so this is the cost of business.

flippant · 11-16-2004, 12:51 PM

They should just stick with triangulating the position of wire-taps and of course telemarketing regs.....Just seems too ridiculous and minor. Or maybe we hadn't heard from them in awhile and they want some attention.

Kitsune · 11-18-2004, 01:38 PM

Pulling a link from Fark: its all about to get a whole lot worse.

The FCC has gone fucking insane.

Oh, can I still say that?

Happy Monkey · 11-18-2004, 01:50 PM

Please let this hit the Supreme Court before Bush has a chance to stack it.

Trilby · 11-18-2004, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFirebrand

What I find particularly interesting is that it is Fox News Network that is being fined for whipped cream licking and spanking of grown men in their underwear. This is the same Fox News network that just hawked Jenna Jameson's "How to Have Sex Like A Porn Star" during primetime.

HOW DID I MISS BOTH OF THESE THINGS?????

Someone is not doing their job.

11-15-2004, 10:44 AM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Any similarity between the actions of the FCC and public opinion or the will of the people is purely coincidental. The FCC has always been about censorship. The FCC has always been out of step. Do you think that $1,200,000.00 will help balance the FCC’s budget.....or maybe TO balance their budget? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-15-2004, 12:34 PM	#5
atropos random twisted fate to the second power Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: California Posts: 16	Just one more example of big government meddling. If people don't want to see this stuff, the ratings would go down and the network would yank it. We need more free market and fewer morality police! __________________ "Don't argue with a fool. The spectators can't tell the difference." - Charles Nalin

11-15-2004, 04:26 PM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Yeah but, atropos/Steve, If the market/ratings control the content, millions of people will be watching what they like but we three letter writers won't have anything to watch. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-15-2004, 04:45 PM	#8
TheFirebrand Kinda New Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1	What I find particularly interesting is that it is Fox News Network that is being fined for whipped cream licking and spanking of grown men in their underwear. This is the same Fox News network that just hawked Jenna Jameson's "How to Have Sex Like A Porn Star" during primetime. This is also the same news network that gears its material towards its supposedly "conservative" audience. Statistically republican, anti-abortion, anti gay marriage. So I suppose the lesson follows: It's ok to have to have spanky whipped cream sex with strippers during family viewing time and sell sex books on air, as long as it's not about a bunch of heathens are gays...because those people are sick. __________________ "Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." - Einstein

11-15-2004, 04:57 PM	#9
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	It was the Fox Network, not the Fox News Network. Fox News is Conservative, Fox is Lowest Common Denominator. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

11-15-2004, 08:10 AM	#2
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	Sheesh. Has it always been the FCC's job to dictate what is acceptable on broadcast television? For some reason, I thought it was handled in the past much the same way it is handled on cable television, today: by advertisers. No, millions watch TV. Only three are outraged. Judging by the successful programming of today and what it contains, I'd say Americans want more of what the FCC doesn't.

11-15-2004, 10:18 AM	#3
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	If this story is true, I don't see how the FCC gets away with this. Prime time is filled with plenty of sex on other networks, not to mention violence. The idea of a complaint factory does open many exciting possibilities, however. You could hire it to generate letters of complaint against your boss, the neighbor's dog that always barks until 2:00am in the morning, the meter maid who gave you a parking ticket - the possibilities are endless!

11-15-2004, 02:38 PM	#6
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Yeah I read that this morning. While it's a good article, there's one thing wrong with it. By harping on the "only 3 people got pissed off" point, he implies that there is some number of complaints at which the censorship becomes OK.

11-15-2004, 05:10 PM	#10
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Isnt it all Murdoch?

11-15-2004, 05:27 PM	#11
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Murdoch is all about the money. Republicans will dismantle antitrust and anti-media-consolidation law, so on his "news" media he promotes Republicans. Lowest Common Denominator entertainment is the best selling stuff, so he puts that on his entertainment media. Sometimes (as with this fine) they conflict, but he stands to make more than $1.2M continuing to support Bush, and he would lose far more than $1.2M removing all the programming that the fundies don't like, so this is the cost of business. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

11-16-2004, 12:51 PM	#12
flippant shameless....so stop trying so hard....-me Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Colorado location* Posts: 215	They should just stick with triangulating the position of wire-taps and of course telemarketing regs.....Just seems too ridiculous and minor. Or maybe we hadn't heard from them in awhile and they want some attention. __________________ - I know we won't meet again in the season of blossoms, And I won't sit quietly by drunk in my chamber- YU HSUAN- CHI Ninth Century, CHANG' AN

11-18-2004, 01:38 PM	#13
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	Pulling a link from Fark: its all about to get a whole lot worse. The FCC has gone fucking insane. Oh, can I still say that? Last edited by Kitsune; 11-18-2004 at 02:42 PM.

11-18-2004, 01:50 PM	#14
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Please let this hit the Supreme Court before Bush has a chance to stack it. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

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