Another example of network censorship in the making ...

[WorknMan]

[quote]WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's chief media regulator expressed disappointment Wednesday over the steamy locker room opening to ABC's "Monday Night Football" broadcast.
"I wonder if Walt Disney would be proud," said Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

The opening, which has generated complaints to ABC and the FCC, featured actress Nicollette Sheridan in the locker room, supposedly dressed only in a white towel. She drops the towel and jumps into the arms of Philadelphia Eagles star Terrell Owens. Sheridan was shown only from behind and above the waist after dropping the towel.

Wait, it gets better. Here's the kicker ...

ABC quickly apologized for the locker room intro. And the NFL called it "inappropriate and unsuitable for our 'Monday Night Football' audience."

And just what would've been appropriate for a Monday Night Football audience, a Bible lesson? Can we get real, please?? Most people I know who watch football would enjoy seeing that.

Last but not least ...

An FCC spokeswoman said the agency has received a number of complaints about the ABC broadcast, though she declined to say how many.

So if people are so offended by what's on TV, why don't they just turn off the TV instead of watering it down for everyone else?

Added: Sorry, I forgot to include the link:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/1....ap/index.html

[Shane R. Monroe]

"declined to say how many" means it was like a low single or double digit number.

The FCC is just out justifying a paycheck these days.

Yeah, Monday Night Footballers don't want to see that 'hot ... wet ... bitch' naked?PLEASE. So, instead of the half time show, let's have Oral Roberts (damn, with a name like that, you're bound to fall from grace) and The Bakkers come out and do a revival RIGHT THERE ... obviously , that's what the people want ... PigSkin and Prayer ... only on ABC ... STILL THE ONE.

[bradhig]

I don't mind full nudity but I draw the link at erotic sex acts on air.

[Shane R. Monroe]

What about the "all but showing penetration" dry humping on night time soaps? You can get a FULL education watch that - but since there aren't any boobs showing, its ok?

[jamcat]

Funny... Networks will censor breasts, but allow unedited & uncesored movies like Saving Private Ryan on TV without a problem. I see nothing wrong with breasts. A woman's body is a thing of beauty.

[Chewchilla]

The plot thickens....

News Anchor Appears Nude

[WorknMan]

Alright, being the fair and balanced person that I am, after listening to a conservative talkshow and hearing their side of this issue, I wish to retract my comments, at least partly anyway.
The complaint that a lot of the conservatives had was not necessarily what they showed, but the context in which they showed it. They all seemed to expect the cheerleaders, beer commercials, etc, but many of them who were watching with their kids were caught totally off-guard. Despite whether or not any of us feel that the commercial was appropriate, I respect a parent's right not to want their children to see that. If it had been on Desperate Housewives or if there had been a warning beforehand like they did on Saving Private Ryan, then the responsible parent could've changed the channel or turned off the TV. But when they just throw it out there with no warning or anything, how's a parent supposed to do their job? Not only was that commercial shown before the football game (at 6pm PST no less), but also during other shows as well, including mornings on stations like UPN.
Perhaps the thing to do would be to give network shows ratings like they do movies so that people can make informed choices about what they and/or their children are watching. Or, do they already do this? I haven't had cable in almost 10 years, so have no idea if the new cable box and/or TVs with vchips have the capability to rate shows and/or block them.

[Shane R. Monroe]

My problem is ... If you're watching Mr. Rogers, and Terri Hatcher jumps out naked, then yeah - Houston, we have a problem.

But this is a FOOTBALL GAME. Now, I polled all the sport freaks in the office today, all of them said "a naked chick during a football game isn't out of context". C'mon - these cheerleaders BARELY have any more clothes on that Nicolette did. The MORAL VALUES of football itself are subject to scrutiny IMHO. The values of professional sports IN GENERAL are subject to scrutiny. Its okay to have Superbowl parties, drink until you're practically passed out, oogle the near-naked cheerleaders ... oh, and winning is everything.

GREAT message to send to the kiddies; I'd rather have my kids see naked people.

A professional sporting event is littered with whores and scantily clad women. The commercial wasn't out of context and SHAME ON ABC for apologizing.

We need to get over nudity as an issue. I'm TOTALLY down with SEXUAL ACTS being censored on broadcast. But nudity, as such ... let's stop making it dirty ...

[jamcat]

Could be worse..... Could be NASCAR. Hehehe. The sport of red necks where they fine drivers for saying "$#!t" on the air.

I'm all for nudity as long as it's female nudity.

Mmmm.... Boobies! (@ Y @) Yum!

[Oedipus]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...907EST0715.DTL

Addiction to porn destroying lives, Senate told

Comparing pornography to heroin, researchers on Thursday called on Congress to finance studies on "porn addiction" and launch a public health campaign about the dangers.

"We're so afraid to talk about sex in our society that we really give carte blanche to the people who are producing this kind of material," said James B. Weaver, a Virginia Tech professor who studies the impact of pornography.

Internet pornography is corrupting children and hooking adults into an addiction that threatens their jobs and families, a panel of anti-porn advocates told the hearing organized by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., chairman of the Commerce subcommittee on science.

Brownback, a father of five, said when he was a boy, the typical kid's exposure was limited to occasional peeks at dirty magazines illicitly obtained by a buddy.

Now, he said, pornography seems pervasive. Children run across it while researching homework on the Internet. Vulgar ads arrive unexpectedly by e-mail. Some of his middle-age male friends limit their time alone in hotel rooms to avoid the temptation of graphic pay-per-view movies, Brownback said.

Mary Anne Layden, co-director of a sexual trauma program at the University of Pennsylvania, said pornography's effect on the brain mirrors addiction to heroin or crack cocaine. She told of one patient, a business executive, who arrived at his office at 9 a.m. each day, logged onto Internet porn sites, and didn't log off until 5 p.m.

Layden called for billboards and bus ads warning people to avoid pornography, strip clubs and prostitutes.

The panel discussion ranged from hardcore, violent pornography to audience complaints about a sexually suggestive promo that aired prior to this week's "Monday Night Football" game.

Brownback, an outspoken Christian conservative who has championed efforts to curb indecency on television and the Internet, said the public is beginning to realize "they don't just have to take it."

But he acknowledged the First Amendment right to free speech has limited congressional efforts.

In June, the Supreme Court blocked a law designed to shield Web-surfing children from pornography, ruling that requiring adults to register or use access codes before viewing objectionable material would infringe on their rights.

Brownback said scientific data is needed to help his cause.

Weaver acknowledged that research "directly assessing the impact of pornography addiction on families and communities is rather limited."

But he pointed to studies that show prolonged use of pornography leads to "sexual callousness, the erosion of family values and diminished sexual satisfaction."

Judith Reisman, a vocal critic of the Kinsey Institute and the field of sexology, suggested Congress require police officers to gather evidence of pornography at crime scenes to further research.