In the “couldn’t have said it better myself” department, more groups are lining up to protest the FCC’s insane fining policy over indecency. From a Variety article, some wise words in the friend-of-the-court briefs:
“The FCC’s arbitrary censorship system is no more tolerable than allowing government agents to tear pages out of library books”
“A vague and ill-defined standard of decency is a threat to the freedom of expression that AFTRA members and all Americans hold dear” (AFTRA = American Federation of Television and Radio Artists)
And my favorite:
“To effectuate its new clean-up-the-airwaves policy, the commission has radically expanded the definition of indecency beyond its original conception; magnified the penalties for even minor, ephemeral images or objectionable language; and targeted respected television programs, movies, even non-commercial documentaries”
Whether these wise words will actually sway a board that holds its own inconsistent view of morals above the law is questionable though it’s good to see that more people are lining up to remind us how off-base and detached from reality that the FCC has become.