One only needs a pulse these days to notice how coarse, profane and indecent television programming has become. Even relatively decent shows contain commercials or promos for other shows that are unfit for children (and many times adults).
Turning it off is a good option, as is using the V-Chip http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/vchip.html. Good parents are already doing that to protect their own.
But if we care about our entire cultural fabric and the little minds that feed on television while their parents are distracted or out making a living, we need to do more. One common sense proposal at the federal level is H.R. 310, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005.
[IF YOU WISH, SKIP TO THE BOTTOM AT THIS POINT FOR OUR ACTION REQUEST]
This is not a radical bluenose crusade. It is a solid bill that passed the U. S. House of Representatives by an overwhelming 389-38 vote more than one year ago. H.R. 310 would raise fines against broadcast decency violators, and would strengthen the Federal Communications Commission's ability to enforce those fines. (We now have an FCC chairman willing to fight indecent broadcast programming. All he needs is the tools to do the job effectively.)
For more than a year, the Senate leadership, specifically Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Ted Stevens (R-AK), has prohibited this excellent bill from coming to a vote, even though a similar bill passed the Senate last session by a vote of 99-1. Sen. Stevens believes broadcast networks will clean themselves up if we let them police themselves.
Unfortunately, the big four networks (CBS, ABC, NBC and FOX*) abused the trust Stevens and the American public placed in them by suing the FCC in federal court for the right to air indecency (like the f-word and s-word) during. primetime.
It's clear the networks are not interested in cleaning up their programming, but are even more intent on pumping cultural poison into our homes.
*Note we are speaking primarily of networks that broadcast over the air. People pay for cable, but network television still broadcasts over airwaves owned by the public (you and me), which can be regulated as a public trust.
Will you call U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham {202-224-5972} and Jim DeMint {202-224-6121} to ask for them to push for a vote on Rep. Fred Upton's (R-Mich.) Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 (H.R. 310)?
Together we can finally make a difference. If you want to go even further, take a look at the excellent work being done by our friends at the Parents Television Council (http://www.parentstv.com/).
