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"Sensationalized Cruelty": FCC Complaints Regarding Game of Thrones
v3rgEz writes: As a cable channel, the FCC has little to no jurisdiction over HBO's content. That doesn't stop people from complaining to them about them, however, and after a FOIA request, the FCC released numerous complaints regarding the network's Game of Thrones. While there were the usual and expected lamentations about 'open homosexual sex acts,' other users saw Game of Thrones as a flashpoint in the war of Net Neutrality.
Theon Greyjoy deserved it.
Pedophilia, incest, multiple non-abrahamic religions, polytheism, zombies, ghouls, various fantasy figures, idol worship, paganism... I mean really I think GRRM went through the list of things that might get a nuns panties in a bunch, and found a way to write them down.
The TV show might in some ways be considered censored for good taste!
You are all Reek. Reek says "Reek". REEEEEEEK Reeeeeek REEEEEEEEK! REEEEK! You Reeeeek!
FCC should just reply with the following: Thank you for your concern, We have read your complaint and come to a solution, if you don't like it just don't watch it. Regards, FCC
I don't see a link between "open homosexual sex acts" and "sensationalised cruelty".
If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
GoT is killing it on this viral media advertising thing. 1) It was reported as the most pirated TV show ever. 2) They leaked the first 4 episodes last season and made headlines. 3) This story.
thank you.
I stopped reading certain characters in the book.. and as soon as certain people are on screen, I fastforward.
if something happens, I'll know about it from tyrian's perspective.
There is a lot of stuff that is as.. wait.. more repulsive than "Human Centipede 3".
The boobs are nice.
She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
The explicit violence just doesn't seem necessary. It detracts from the story more than anything - what's the point of it? Are the producer simply just trying to shock people? They could just cut the content by 75% and focus on the character development and the plots (i.e. The story), and they would have a way better show.
Get over it! If you don't like it, don't watch it. And if you have children, it is YOUR OWN FAULT if you allow them access. And if you didn't KNOW it was going to offend you- get a life and read reviews first.
Yeesh
It's on a cable network you have to pay to get, it's not on OTA broadcast networks, so if you don't like it, then don't watch it, but for fuck's sake stop complaining, and stop trying to impose your spiritual/religious/whatever values on the rest of the world!
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
Today's grammar lesson: dangling participle
As a cable channel, the FCC has little to no jurisdiction...
Oops... the FCC is not a cable channel. Suggested rewrites:
As a cable channel, HBO is pretty much not under the jurisdiction of the FCC.
As HBO is a cable channel, the FCC has little to no jurisdiction over it.
P.S. I really enjoy a good dangling participle. "Landing at the airport, our car was visible in the parking lot."
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
Sensationalized Cruelty?
I was born a Lannister of Casterly Rock. Things are expected of me.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
This is paid, subscriber-only television. It isn't broadcast over public airwaves. It does not even appear as an option in your home unless you are paying HBO for content like this.
If the show offends you, cancel HBO. Hell, cancel cable outright, I don't care. Just shut the fuck up with your hurt feelings and your offended sensibilities. You are paying for this content. That is where your power lies, stop paying for it. The FCC has no jurisdiction and it's not the government's business.
YOU DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT BE OFFENDED!
That sucks!
Oh no! I am clutching my pearls! My gentle sensibilities were insulted! Scandalous!
Re: the aforementioned, how many complaints were received by the FCC regarding the open pansexual acts performed on this show?
Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
In fact, Game of Thrones is arguably even less depraved that what is going on right now in the real world in any number of places. South Sudan, Syria and North Korea just off the top of my head. Compared to the perps running amok in those places, the horrible people depicted in Game of Thrones are just a bunch of lovable kittens.
When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
"As a cable channel, the FCC has little to no jurisdiction over HBO's content"
Not entirely true. The FCC holds the licensing to let HBO use satellites. The FCC could easily revoke those and force HBO to go online-only.
Buck Feta. You know what to do.
I think the complaint isn't, "This shouldn't be on the air!" but a "I should have some idea of what is going to be shown!"
Not necessarily unreasonable.
Pretty much everything on HBO has a Content Rating. Note that they mention "Strong Sexual Content" and I'm sure Game of Thrones triggers that.
The complaint, I suppose, is that they don't have a category for "Depravity."
Current worldwide events and history is full of way worse stuff. Our various human cultures have all sorts of weird taboos. On US TV it is okay to show multiple people getting killed, but verboten to show 2 people making love.
We need more exposure to the pain and suffering of the world, just ignoring it and thinking it is not there is wrong.
There is no gay activity in the book, I have not watched much of the series yet, but did they really add gay stuff in it? That is horrible.
Dose anyone care what the FCC says? Just being a government agency makes me hate them.
Of course, it's also possible that this is a plot by the show's creators to inflate its own popularity by creating controversy.
Just sayin'....
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
Oh look, the hipster who pretends to not know what other people think is cool. How contrarian of you. Back under your bridge.
Why shouldn't the FCC regulate HBO and address these citizens' complaints about Game of Thrones? Regulation is good, isn't it? HBO (Time Warner) is a huge corporate machine. These citizen have complaints.
Slashdot government fans want regulations on everything else. Why not this?
And believe me.. there are seriously a lot of people out there who spend their days flipping through channels, to find *ANYTHING* to complain to the FCC about.
One example complaint: 2am on the Public Access Channel, the show was talking about an art gallery opening, and a painting that was in the background for literally 2-3 seconds had a bare breast!!! OMG, what if little jonny would have seen that!?!?!?!
Get a f*cking life... first, it's a painting, second, why would your little precious be up at 2am?
All the other comments made me laugh, but to block a service based on a device does seem like unfair content blocking to me.
No mod points atm, and posted all over this thread, and there's no 'touché' mod up option anyway.... but nice post :)
"lt;dr" is the correct response to most of my posts.
I vaguely recall that thing. I thought that was for toothless people whether due to old age or being rednecks. Why the hell does anyone here care whether a show gets yanked from cable?
I'm pretty sure HBO could easily exist without cable TV these days. I actually don't know anyone who pays for HBO through their cable companies. Everyone I know just watches over the net and HBO cuts out the middleman to do it.
Tell you what... I wish all content providers would just cut the cord already. It seems it would solve many problems.
What is Game of Thrones?
Its one of those phenomena that almost everyone in the civilized world knows about. Like Baseball, Star Wars, Justin Bieber, Coca-Cola, Donald Trump, and Lord of the Rings.
If you don't like it, that's fine. But if you don't know what it is... its because you've failed to be part of society, and aware of the world around. That's on you. Go look it up yourself. We have an Internet now.
And why should I care?
Caring is up to you. Or do you expect strangers on the internet to make all your decisions for you? Would you like me to make a list of the breakfast foods you should enjoy too?
GOT celebrates all the ugly things people can do to each other. I watched it for a little less than a season, until I understood that the point was to just be as horrible as possible.
I don't need to seek out ugliness in my life, the real world is full enough of it as it is.
"We receive as friendly that which agrees with, we resist with dislike that which opposes us" - Faraday
See interview transcript here.
This stupid show is as easy to ignore as that stupid walking dead show. and star warz.
The complaint, I suppose, is that they don't have a category for "Depravity."
Sure they do: CSPAN
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
I have heard of people skipping ads, but asking to have them repeated? Must be the Superbowl.
As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
Come on. Answer the question. Why shouldn't the FCC regulate this?
I know the answer can't be "free speech rights", because the government fans told me corporations like Time Warner aren't people and therefore don't have free speech rights.
Citizens seek regulation of this corporation. Are government fans taking this corporation's side against the people?
http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad...
On the plus side, there was no dancing featured in GoT.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
So... a fictional show is being criticized for Sensationalized Cruelty, but a reality show like Toddlers and Tieras is somehow ok? I give up on this world.
Like George Carlin said, you are aware that there are two knobs on the tv - one to change the channel and one to turn it off. If you don't like it go F yourself.
I may have paraphrased that a bit. And I'm aware that your TV likely has no knobs. So if you were going to whine about that you can definitely F off.
The Theon scenes were disturbing, and they were meant to be. Nothing about torture should be appealing. Nothing from those scenes was simply made up or sensationalized, those were all torture or psychological warfare that people have done in the past. History is filled with cruel things that people have done to each other. History also shows redeeming factors that can restore faith in humanity.
Nothing in GoT should make anyone say to themselves "Hey, let's go rape/torture/poison/etc someone today." If you're claiming that a show is sensationalizing something, you would think that the show was making it seem OK or at least less bad. I don't think GoT is doing that at all.
I notice they're not complaining about GoT's depiction of homosexuality as buggery and bad.
As the AC said above YOU DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT BE OFFENDED!
I refuse to sign
The FCC should only maintain the free flow of information on the Internet without it being throttled or censored.
It's ridiculous to me that it's okay with Americans that we use drones to violate the air space of sovereign countries, not to mention killing a LOT of civilians, but GoT is just going too far. I can't think of sufficient insults for these people.
Yes, thank you. While I don't watch it, I have this to say. As long as they aren't lying regarding their Content Rating, it should be fine.
However, I do notice a problem. With Comcast On Demand, I don't see anything specific. Like TV 14 and TV MA. I don't see the SSC descriptor mentioned when hitting info. I wonder if it would show it in the info for a "live TV" episode. Do they mention it at all in the show? Let' see.
Played the beginning of one. I see briefly (hard to pause), GV, N, AC, and something else. I think it's AL. They really should stay up longer than that.
Well, as long as they aren't miscategorizing. I imagine the sex scenes deserve SSC. Anyone know if they aren't labeling them properly?
I always send a complaint to the FCC each time the SuperBowl is on TV. What else is that than glorified violence paired with explicitly sexual public display (aka cheer leaders)? So far I never received a response. Same when I complain about boxing or ice hockey (as if there is a difference!). But oh jolly if a bare breast is on TV for a total of 0.032 seconds, all FCC hell breaks lose. Since then US live TV is on 5 second delay, just like in open and forward thinking countries as Saudi-Arabia or Qatar.