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| Wilson Effort on Broadcast Decency Passes House |
March 11, 2004 |
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Lawmaker’s Effort Returns Standards & Enforcement Tools to Broadcasting
Albuquerque, NM – Congresswoman Heather Wilson’s effort to include decency as a factor in license renewals was approved Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 391-22.
The action, authored by Wilson and Rep. Wynn was included in the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004 (H.R. 3717), which Wilson co-sponsored. The bill passed the Energy and Commerce Committee on a vote of 49-1 on March 3.
“The FCC plays an important role in protecting Americans, particularly children, from indecent programming. The FCC has a statutory mandate to prohibit indecency on broadcasts. Their enforcement has been inadequate and the tools that they have at their disposal are insufficient,” Wilson said.
Several measures Wilson worked specifically for are incorporated in the legislation today:
· A provision crafted by Reps. Wilson and Wynn that would make a stations record of indecency a factor for consideration when their license is up for renewal.
· When there are multiple violations of the indecency prohibitions, a station’s license can be revoked.
· An increase in the maximum penalty to $500,000 per violation.
· A change that holds harmless local affiliates when they do not review the material in advance, but allows the FCC to fine the networks.
· An increase in the expectations for prompt enforcement action by the FCC so that punishment is swift and sure.
“This bill also makes clear that local affiliates have the right to decline to air programming which is inconsistent with community standards even when it is not indecent or profane,” Wilson said.
“I believe we have already had an effect on this industry. FCC enforcement was lax and, when imposed, was largely symbolic. We are changing that,” Wilson said. “But the real change will come in the board rooms and general manager’s offices and broadcast studios when people decide to be responsible, to entertain rather than denigrate, to lift us up and not gross us out.”
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