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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  Contact:  Alex  Johns  November  21,  2002  (202)  418-  2000 
 COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS  CALLS  FOR  RE-  EXAMINATION  OF  FCC’S  INDECENCY  DEFINITION,  ANALYSIS  OF  LINK 
 BETWEEN  MEDIA  CONSOLIDATION  AND  “RACE  TO  THE  BOTTOM” 
 FCC  Commissioner  Michael  J.  Copps  today  said  that,  “It’s  time  for  the  Commission  to  change  its  definition  of  indecency.  Too  many  indecency  complaints  from  consumers  and  too 
 many  truly  indecent  broadcasts  are  falling  through  the  cracks.”  Copps  also  called  for  “a  review  of  the  potential  correlation  between  increasing  indecency  problems  and  increasing  media 
 consolidation.” 
 Copps  explained  that,  “of  the  nearly  500  indecency  complaints  received  by  the  Enforcement  Bureau  in  the  last  year,  only  a  tiny  number  have  resulted  in  any  action.  If  our 
 definition  leads  to  that  result,  then  our  current  definition  of  indecency  just  isn’t  getting  the  job  done.  Our  definition  must  better  protect  our  kids  against  indecent  material.” 


 Copps  added:  “That’s  not  all.  It’s  time  for  us  to  step  up  to  the  plate  and  tackle  the  wanton  violence  our  kids  are  served  up  every  day.  Compelling  arguments  have  been  made  that 
 excessive  violence  is  every  bit  as  indecent,  profane  and  obscene  as  anything  else  that’s  broadcast.  I  think  those  arguments  are  strong  enough  to  compel  our  looking  at  them.  This  is 
 about  the  public  interest,  responsible  broadcasting,  and  providing  programming  that  appeals  to  something  other  than  the  lowest  common  denominator  that  some  advertiser  can  find  to  exploit. 
 It’s  shameful.  You  can’t  tell  me  this  is  what  the  pioneers  of  the  great  broadcast  industry  had  in  mind  when  they  brought  radio  and  TV  to  us.  I  surely  hope  my  colleagues  will  join  me  in 
 addressing  this  problem.” 
 Copps  also  pointed  to  the  correlation  between  increasing  media  consolidation  and  increasing  indecency  on  the  airwaves.  “Why  is  it  that  we  seem  to  be  in  the  midst  of  a  ‘race  to  the 
 bottom’  at  the  same  time  that  the  industry  is  in  a  race  to  consolidate?  Has  consolidation  led  to  an  increase  in  the  amount  of  indecent  programming?  When  programming  decisions  are  made  on 
 Wall  Street  or  Madison  Avenue,  rather  than  by  local  broadcasters  on  Main  Street,  does  indecency  grow  more  pervasive?  We  must  answer  these  questions  before  the  Commission  votes 
 on  whether  to  eliminate  our  media  concentration  protections  this  spring,”  Copps  concluded. 


 –  FCC  – 
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