PBS Feels FCC Chill On Censorship

Shadow Wrought writes "The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting on PBS censoring one of its upcoming drama shows, Cop Shop, due to the chilling effect of the most recent FCC rulings on indecency. Star Richard Dreyfuss offered these choice words as part of a prepared statement, 'It is inescapably censorship under guidelines imposed after the fact by those who are in temporary political power, and so it should be treated as what it is -- a real-world moral and ethical battle with grimly wrongheaded, un-American types who play pick and choose when they define our freedoms of speech and religion as it fits their particular political needs.'"

Comments

Corporate RePublican Broadcasting System

[Doc Ruby]

Could this censorship of PBS have anything to do with the new Bush donor appointees to its board? Or tie in with the addition of rightwing moutpieces to the PBS lineup?

Leave it to Dreyfuss..

[Elias Israel]

Leave it to Dreyfuss to turn an overblown story about whether you can say "fuck" on PBS into a cheap partisan jab.

Seriously, does the Hollywood Left so desperately need to advance their bogus "stifling of dissent" narrative that they'll stoop to this transparent nonsense?

Since when is it "unquestionably censorship" when PBS elects not to have one of their new shows sound like a Jerry Springer episode?

I mean, I don't even support the idea of the "public" airwaves, or even "public" television, but why is it so hard to imagine that maybe a minimum of civil behavior could be expected there?

How can people get away with being so willfully obtuse just to score some cheap political points?

You get to cry "censorship" when they tell you that you can't complain about policy on the airwaves. Come back then.

In the mean time, if you want to have people spout "dirty words" on camera, take it to HBO and Showtime like everyone else.

Um...it's BROADCAST TV!

[jbarr]

"This show might seem ridiculous or riveting. But it is what we sold and it is what PBS bought. And since this one is truly a labor of love, neither David nor myself wanted it to be redesigned or patched together by anyone else for any reason other than our own whim -- certainly not for what might even appear to be a caving in to temporary political pressures." - Richard Dreyfuss

Then why the hell are you selling it to BROADCAST networks?!? Despite what some may believe we DO have FCC guidelines and standards that broadcasters must to follow. Sounds like more "political puffing" as we grow closer to Election Day in the US...

Re:"un-American"

[Art Tatum]

Plenty of people get labeled "un-Patriotic" for good or ill (not sure which).

Nobody I've seen.

I saw a cardboard sign on the back of a truck that said "Real Americans don't protest".

How do you know it was a member of the Administration? In fact, I'm kind of surprised that you could get close to a Presdiential or Vice-Presidential motorcade. What's that? It wasn't a member of the government? Just some schmoe? Expressing his opinion? How dare he oppress you like that...

Re:BBC reporting about Dick Cheney

[burritoKing]

Because you lot (I'm assuming you're a Brit due to the BBC link, and I apologize if I am wrong) sent all of the Puritans over here in the 1600's. Thanks heaps. It's been a pantload of fun dealing with the screwed up morality they've left us.

Well as a Brit, I would like to say
Your welcome!

Re:"un-American"

[jgardn]

I have only heard the term "unAmerican" or "unPatriotic" used by the left and friends. They use it to describe how President Bush and the Republican Right Wing Terror Network is persecuting them. In fact, I have been called a terrorist, an extremist, even a member of the Taliban by the left because I believe that God exists.

I have heard a new term being punted around: Hatriot. It's used to describe Michael Moore and his style of politics. It goes something like this. Go to France. Claim hatred for President Bush and the stupid American public. Make a movie about how evil President Bush is and make it so sappy that even liberals call it propoganda. Then fly to Canada to escape the "brownshirts" that President Bush is dispatching to persecute you, or at least claim such. Say things like "I'm glad I'm in Canada where freedom still exists" or something like that.

I don't mind you expressing your opinion. I do mind you misrepresenting the facts (AKA lying). I have yet to hear the administration use the term "un-American" or even "all-American" to deride the left. Go ahead and show me quotes if I am wrong.

Re:"un-American"

[FooGoo]

I just call them democrats or liberals. I don't see them as un-american. Just wrong.

Re:Wrong poster child

[argStyopa]

For those of you who are young, or perhaps never watched PBS, you have no understanding of the cultural freedoms we used to enjoy. PBS was allowed this freedom because the hicks, red necks, and vengeful religious fanatics did not watch it. Even more amazing, in the best US traditions of freedom of speech and religion, these people tended to leave PBS alone.

This message and the unintentional irony brought to you from your local elitist public television member.

Let me run through a little thought experiment.

- money is taken from Joe Citizen's paycheck, from his investment earnings, and from every dollar he spends at the store.
- some of this money is then turned over to a 'public' television station for programming.

Here's the test question.
Who gets to chose what is shown on this station that is paid for by the taxpayer:
A. The taxpayer
B. An elitist bunch of intellectual poseurs who are entirely out of the mainstream?

If you answered A, you are clearly a Republican Facist oppressor.

Here's a hint: if you don't want Joe Sixpack telling you what you can show on TV, don't take Joe Sixpack's FUCKING money to pay for it.

How about the goverment just gets the hell out of TV programming, "arts" funding, and all sorts of other 'government as mommy' programs, and just go back to doing the few things that the original Constitutional authors INTENDED a Federal government to be responsible for?

Sorry to be such a 'redneck hick' but I'd rather keep my money, and all the impassioned leftists so concerned about free speech can contribute voluntarily to pay for Cop Shop and they can say whatever they want on cable?

I find it even more ironic also that you term us 'pompous assholes.'

censor this fuckers

[fucktard657]

i run my fingers over your stomach light as a feather my touch and hot as an ember can you feel me trembling... your skin is so beautiful soft like a cloud silky smooth oh..the anticipation... will you let my tongue taste you will you let me dip my finger to explore your soul my travels continue i map your body with my senses the wetness of my tongue circles your taught hard nipples oh the joy of those breasts in my mouth our breath quickens the air is electric you are all that i see this moment of time embeds itself inside of me you open your legs to me and grabbing my hair, you beg for me to please you i grin devilishly at the thought my tongue bends to your will the fire inside of you explodes in my mouth this newness i never dreamed existed is so real and so potent i flicker your lips with my tongue i nibble your folds and watch you squirm my tongue reaches inside and heaven awaits me you thrust yourself against me urging me, wanting me challenging me i accept with a low moan as my tongue explores ever deeper you make me so wet you make me want to eat you up to make you scream with pleasure and purr like a pussy cat my tongue ignites your senses and together we edge closer to the brink let me touch those lovely breasts again let me fuck you and fuck you and fuck you torture you with this intense joy i slip my finger into your pussy feel the honey all around me slip another inside the door and begin to strike the rhythm the primal beat goes on forever the drums crash into the air i watch you thrash your head from side to side your own hands rubbing your body and your mouth open, inviting i plunge deeper and faster harder and quicker matching your moans my mouth covers your nipples sucking and licking the final thrust hears you yell OH GOD OH GOD intense rippling heat cascading through your body your back arching to the ceiling and then the quiet yes the quiet savour the moment revel in the warmth but please lean over my way and purrrrr deep in my ear OH YES, purrr purrrr my pussy cat for soon we will be hungry once again....

Re:Boobs bad, violence is good

[SubtleNuance]

This is because (caused by) the level of violence in your culture. Not just domestic violence, but the culture of making war -- and how all this violence is tolerated, encouraged and considered patriotic.

Did you see Bowling for Columbine?

Bush is anti-christ

[ztirffritz]

The Bush administration bears an uncanny resemblance to the Left Behind series of books in which the Apocolyse actually occurs and the Anti-christ rises to power. The similarities are chilling. As soon as they start implanting us all with RFID tags the story will be complete. Get the tinfoil hats out again...