Off topic - coul there be a "Film As Business" section for discussions like these?

REASONS TO READ VARIETY - two interesting things I'd like to discuss which I'll post separately:

1) From this Tuesday's Variety- the FCC is trying to expand what it is allowed to regulate from just broadcasting to Cable and Satellite too. It should come to vote some time in the next couple weeks.

My question is, is this *Legal*? My understanding has been that the FCC can regulate decency on broadcast material because it is transmitted through the air, and the government owns the air. But they do *not* own the underground cables that we get cable tv through, or the satellites that serve their respective purpose.

Secondly - opinions on censorship aside (it's way too easy just to bash all censorship as evil - and this forum would just descend into chaos) - is it right that they try to expand their control to something that requires an active audience? Picking up broadcasts just requires a TV and a receiver, beyond that there is no active participation. But Cable and Satellite requires going the extra mile to purchase/set up access to the media.

F*ck the FCC. F*ck 'em. Don't care for them on "their" airwaves and I definately don't care for 'em on cable. Censorship shouldn't be a worry nowadays with the V-chip, parents shouldn't have to worry that their kids are going to watch innappropriate shows if they take two seconds with the manual on how to work the damn thing, and if a nipple happens to be shown on live TV, well God forbid. ****ing uptight prudish sonsof*****es. F*ck the FCC.

elliott...

its not censorship, its control. i mean, really? how come theyre not doing anything to force fox or cnn to run actual news? or mtv to play actual music? how about they make the broadcasters put some form of quality product on, ur not getting that with cable or satellite or movies anyways. i mean its not like theyre going to block out anything important, like a 5 second delay on the oscars really does anything to solve the what's really wrong with it (tis' the season)!

The question is not a matter of taste, but of legality.

Legality's never been an issue with them, hell they're the organization that's wiping their ass with the first amendment. If the FCC wants to rule over cable and satellite they will, that's the sad part of the situation. There's enough wrong with cable as it is (why the **** do we get commercials on channels we're already paying for?) The FCC will be an unwelcome guest. Again, f*ck the FCC.

elliott...

http://www.pythonline.com/plugs/idle/FCCSong.mp3

And that is all I need to say.

HAHA!