|
| Photo: AP |
| Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska called for the broadcast content rules to be extended to cable and satellite media.
Related Stories: Nov. 24, 2004 VIACOM TO PAY $3.5 MILLION FCC INDECENCY PENALTY Settlement Covers Radio Shows but Not Super Bowl Nov. 3, 2004 MORALITY VOTE NUMBERS WORRY ADVERTISING EXECS Some Fret About New Conservatism in Public Taste Oct. 6, 2004 HOWARD STERN ABANDONS FM RADIO FOR SATELLITE Signs Five-Year Deal with Sirius |
Speaking separately to a meeting of the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, criticized cable broadcasts and indicated they would move to expand broadcast obscenity rules to cover cable content, though Mr. Barton expressed concerns regarding First Amendment issues.
Sexually active children
"We wonder why our children are sexually active at a young age," said Mr. Stevens. "We are spending millions to promote abstinence while our public airwaves are increasingly promoting sex.
"In this country, there has to be some standards of indecency," Mr. Stevens said.
Mr. Barton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said, "I think [broadcasters and satellite and cable operators] ought to play too, to the extent it's possible, by the same rules."
Supreme Court challenge
Mr. Stevens also warned the cable industry about its contention that because subscribers pay for cable, indecency curbs would violate consumers' First Amendment rights.
"I disagree violently," he said. "We might as well get it on the table. If that's the issue they want to take on, we'll take them on, and we'll let the Supreme Court decide."
