MORALITY IN MEDIA PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON HOUSE ACTION TO INCREASE MAXIMUM FINE ALLOWED FOR VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL BROADCAST INDECENCY LAW

NEW YORK (June 7, 2006) – Robert Peters, President of Morality in Media, had the following comments on today’s action in the House of Representatives to increase the maximum fine for violations of the broadcast indecency law from $32,500 to $325,000.

“In a 1964 obscenity case, former Chief Justice Warren stated, ‘There is a right of the nation and states to maintain a decent society.’ Today, the House of Representatives is to be commended for making the FCC’s exercise of that right easier.

“Broadcasting is now dominated by media giants for whom a maximum fine of $32,500 can be treated as a readily affordable cost of doing business, like corporate executive parking tickets. Now, in an appropriate case, the FCC can levy a much larger fine that will hopefully get the attention of both corporate executives and shareholders.

“Increasing the maximum fine poses no threat to freedom of speech because the First Amendment was not intended to provide a license to pollute public spaces with indecent talk and pictures and because, as the Supreme Court has already held, enforcement of the indecency law does not constitute impermissible ‘censorship.’

“While there is undoubtedly a market for sex and vulgarity, opinion polls indicate that most Americans are offended by and concerned about the glut of sex and vulgarity on TV. While Americans cherish their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and press, most also want to live and raise children in a safe and decent society. The V-chip may help some parents, but the V-chip is no substitute for corporate responsibility.

“Of course, the potential for large fines will only help if the FCC continues to enforce the broadcast indecency law. Congress must also address the problem of indecent programming on non-premium cable and satellite TV channels.”

MORALITY IN MEDIA, a nonprofit national organization with headquarters in New York City, works to uphold standards of decency in the media and to curb traffic in illegal obscenity (“hard-core pornography”).

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