Fox news

[Asella]

I was watching Fox News this afternoon and they had continuous coverage of hurricane Katrina. Anyways, the reporter in the studio was talking to Shepard Smith via phone and Shepard was interviewing people who had stayed behind in New Orleans. During one interview Shepard asked a man what he was doing and the man replied “Walking my dogs.” Then Shepard asked “Why are you still here? I’m just curious.” The man replied, “None of your (expletive) business!!” I’m sure you all can fill in the expletive, but if you can’t I will tell you that it was the most vile curse word out there, in my opinion. Anyways, the reporters apologized for that, but I was rather shocked and surprised. Don’t these networks have some sort of five second delay if they are running live?? I wonder if Fox will get some sort of fine for this from the FCC.

 

[Courtneyjo]

fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html

I also heard this. The five second delay is commonly used for live radio programs where past experience has shown that some callers will use foul language. It isn’t ordinarily used on live TV, although I think it was for the Superbowl broadcast following the year that Janet Jackson had the “wardrobe malfunction.” If it’s reasonable to assume that the subject of the program is going to do or say something obscene, then I think the five second rule should be applied.

In this case, the reporter was asking people why they hadn’t evacuated the French Quarter. If in past experience folks had been willing to talk in these types of live TV interviews without using foul language, then it seems reasonable that the five second delay wasn’t used. But I’m sure that the FCC will get complaints.

 

[Timidity]

Asella:

I wonder if Fox will get some sort of fine for this from the FCC.

Cable channels don’t have the same restrictions that over-the-air channels do. The logic is that broadcast channels come into your house whether you want them to or not, but cable channels only come into your house because you want them.