Protesting the FCC

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-11-18 03:27pm

CNN wrote:CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) -- A television news anchor appeared on the air nude in a first-person report about an artist's photographs, drawing a record number of viewers for the time slot, the station said.

Sharon Reed was one of hundreds of people who participated in Spencer Tunick's nude photo installation in Cleveland in June. Her report, shown Monday on the 11 p.m. newscast on WOIO-TV, showed far away angles of her nude and some closer seminude shots, as well as other participants.

The report comes in the midst of increased attention to the airwaves, following Janet Jackson's breast-baring performance during the Super Bowl halftime show. The Federal Communications Commission proposed a record fine of $550,000 against CBS, WOIO's parent network. The network is protesting.

On Tuesday, ABC apologized for the intro to "Monday Night Football" that featured a supposedly naked actress jumping into a player's arms in a spoof of the television show "Desperate Housewives."

WOIO news director Steve Doerr said the idea was to cover Tunick, a well-known artist, in a different way. Doerr said the story also was aimed at bringing in ratings during November sweeps when audiences are measured to set advertising rates.

Monday night's newscast received a record 17.1 share, compared with the 13.6 earned during the newscast airing immediately after this year's Super Bowl, according to Broadcasting & Cable, an industry publication.

The station aired advisories before the piece, and FCC spokeswoman Janice Wise on Wednesday said WOIO followed commission rules that prohibit indecent material from being aired on broadcast television from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Doerr said the station received mostly supportive messages from viewers. Reed said she considered it an important story about art.

nice to see someone out there has the balls to stand up to 'em.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2004-11-18 03:37pm

I have the feeling the fcc will wither away soon enough.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2004-11-18 03:38pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:I have the feeling the fcc will wither away soon enough.

Funny, that's what CNN just reported Howard Stern as saying...

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2004-11-18 06:34pm

I'm thinking that this was bound to happen, and if the Puritans continue trying to drag the airwaves back to 1950's standards, they're probably just going to encourage more of it.

sketerpot · Post by **sketerpot** » 2004-11-18 07:02pm

LadyTevar wrote:
Enforcer Talen wrote:I have the feeling the fcc will wither away soon enough.
Funny, that's what CNN just reported Howard Stern as saying...

I thought Howard Stern was saying that he'll be laughing his ass off when he goes to satellite radio and the FCC can't bug him?

Why would the FCC, a huge government bureau with a lot of power, wither away? If anything, it seems to be expanding its power.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2004-11-18 10:03pm

-shrugs- I dont watch tv. you make media bland enough, people will seek other news.

Fire Fly · Post by **Fire Fly** » 2004-11-18 10:34pm

The FCC won't wither away per se, but when trivial incidents keep being made into giant scandals, people are evetually going to get tired of it.