I Wasn't Kidding

Yesterday I warned that the FCC's outrageously political "indecency" campaign would result in self-censorship by broadcast networks afraid of a mercurial and unpredictable regulatory response. Well, today that fear became a reality. ABC is airing Stephen Speilberg's Oscar-winning film, Saving Private Ryan, but nearly 65 local affilates -- including in such metropolitan areas as Boston -- have refused to broadcast the film, citing the FCC. The network has shown the movie on Veterans' Day for two years, without incident, but now it's being replaced by re-runs of The Andy Griffith Show.

So the lesson is that to comply with the FCC's views on "community standards," we're now retreating to the social standards of the 1950s. Booyah, what a step backwards. It's not even "Father Knows Best," but "Washington Knows Best." Veterans groups, Sen. John McCain and even the parental organizations that complained about Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" are up in arms, but once unleashed the scourge of censorship is damn hard to stop. Way to go, Mike!@!

 Posted by glenn