The point is what he's doing now is popular and working. They're not going to fire him now for what he did a year ago.
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FCC investigating Colbert Show
- Thread starter MarcB
- Start date
The point is what he's doing now is popular and working. They're not going to fire him now for what he did a year ago.
Umm LKellerIII the group that would want Colbert censored the most is Infowars staff and GCN the people holding Alex Jones contract. Sure Colbert parody of Alex Jones is funny to me though simply because of the fact that the scandals hitting infowars are crazier than Fox News Scandals. But to Alex Jones fans they would aggressively call the FCC to go after Colbert more. Yes We are entering a free speech issue when Colbert's rants are under the microscope as you said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv2RnmQUMhI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23KSkjLJbno
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebhNRF5r4Ts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qBNml_sSVo
1) the FCC will not regulate program content, except for "Pacifica Decision" type stuff... both audio and visual. Remember the big to do about a bare backside on Hill Street Blues?
2) after 10 PM there are very few restrictions (legally) on what you can say in Broadcasting, most of the censorship is done by the networks themselves.
From the FCC Website : "What is the safe harbor? The safe harbor refers to the time period between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., local time. During this time period, a station may air indecent and/or profane material. In contrast, there is no safe harbor for the broadcast of obscene material. Obscene material is entitled to no First Amendment protection, and may not be broadcast at any time."
Now was it obscene or just profane? I didn't hear the uncensored version, but from context my vote is for profane, and that covers everyone's proverbial ass
The FCC site goes on to explain: "Are there certain words that are always unlawful? No. Offensive words may be profane and/or indecent depending on the context. In the Golden Globe Awards Order, the FCC stated that it would address the legality of broadcast language on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the context presented, use of the F-Word or other words as highly offensive as the F-Word may be both indecent and profane, if aired between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m."
https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/guides/obscenity-indecency-profanity-faq
2) after 10 PM there are very few restrictions (legally) on what you can say in Broadcasting, most of the censorship is done by the networks themselves.
From the FCC Website : "What is the safe harbor? The safe harbor refers to the time period between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., local time. During this time period, a station may air indecent and/or profane material. In contrast, there is no safe harbor for the broadcast of obscene material. Obscene material is entitled to no First Amendment protection, and may not be broadcast at any time."
Now was it obscene or just profane? I didn't hear the uncensored version, but from context my vote is for profane, and that covers everyone's proverbial ass
The FCC site goes on to explain: "Are there certain words that are always unlawful? No. Offensive words may be profane and/or indecent depending on the context. In the Golden Globe Awards Order, the FCC stated that it would address the legality of broadcast language on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the context presented, use of the F-Word or other words as highly offensive as the F-Word may be both indecent and profane, if aired between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m."
https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/guides/obscenity-indecency-profanity-faq
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I agree with you on this point. That is also the reason he is not going to apologize. He is still losing to Fallon in the key demo. (18-49)
Everything skews older at CBS...not sure if you can attribute that all to him.
That's OK...it's a big country. Room for lots of views and opinions.
Wasn't that "NYPD Blue"?
"Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan", and "Scared Straight" on UPN years later.
Actually, as far as language was concerned, "Schindler's List" was tamer than most prime-time network TV today.
That's the other problem with censorship based on indecency. What's considered "indecent" is a moving target and changes over time. In the 50s and 60s, you couldn't show married couples in bed together, or say the word "pregnant." Prime time police procedurals now show more gore - disconnected body parts, organs, rotted corpses - than theatrical horror films did when I was growing up.
I recently read a nudity policy for one of the basic cable networks. What it came down to was - full frontal and 'backal' nudity is still prohibited, but full 'sidal' nudity is OK. Basic cable now allows the word "s**t," but not the "F" word.
And yes - it was NYPD Blue, not Hill Street Blues that experimented with partial nudity for awhile, in the 90s. Part of the problem was having to see Dennis Franz's naked butt <retching sound!>
K
kenrayc
Guest
Thank you Silkie, there's a big differences between funny political humor and down right ranting angry bashing, late night network talk shows should be funny, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno used to make jokes at both parties that were funny, NOT ANGRY, even Jimmy Fallon even though he leans to the Liberal side, but he makes jokes about both sides without the angry bashing, and he does other entertaining things on his show, someone needs to tell Colbert that he is not on CNN.
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I'm not aware that anyone is "angry" at CNN. Maybe you mean that he's not at Comedy Central. Although no one's angry there either.
From my experience, there are two sides to comedy. The one telling the joke, and the one hearing it. To some, ethnic humor is funny. To others, it's mean and angry. To fix it is seen as politically correct. So there are many aspects to humor. Not just one.
I don't think Colbert is any angrier than anybody else in the media who opposes Trump. At the risk of being political - many of us think the current administration is a horror show, though debating that is not my intention, so let's not go there. Really - this President is unprecedented (pardon the semi-pun) in most ways. Besides, it was anger that got Trump elected, so there's plenty of anger on both sides these days.
I haven't watched The Late Show recently, but I've always thought Colbert was very funny. And he has plenty of non-political content that's also funny.
I always thought Colbert was quite funny on Comedy Central. Not so on The Late Show. It's just my 'hunch' but I get the idea he is not comfortable in his new show, trying to fit to a mold of expectation versus being simply what got him there. I'm sure he is being coached and his crew is trying anything they think can bolster lack luster ratings he received early on. While the 'stunt' and I think that is what it is, is building awareness and strengthening his brand, it will be interesting to see if the 'bit' leads to long term rating success in a very competitive late night field. I even wonder if his 'bit' reflects his personal views or if it is what research urged him to do. Sometimes we have to step back and remember this is a business and that business is simply to get viewers that see those commercials inserted in the show. In the scheme of things, little else matters.
His biggest problem in the first few months was replacing a legend with 30 years of fan base. That's not easy to do. Conan O'Brian fought a similar battle replacing Leno. Colbert has found his audience, and it was basically the same group who loved him on Comedy Central, except now it's grown. He's received his best ratings when he goes political. I saw his interview with Bill O'Reilly a few months ago, and it was very fair and very funny. There's obviously a close friendship between those two. I think he's there to stay. Those who don't like him have lots of other choices.
On The Daily Show, O'Reilly seems to have had a very cordial relationship with former host Jon Stewart. They both seem to genuinely like BillO.
Well See the Tuck Buckford clips of Colbert. I place the blame on Alex Jones here. The main reason here is that its the Infowars audience thats offended that got Colbert on Target by the FCC.
But Wait on the Daily show with current host Trevor Noah I seen a funny clip where Trevor Noah's staff did say something funny in the clip after the Comey removal. And yes its about Trump. Sure Trump's people will be offended by this but I doubt the FCC is gonna waste their time with Colbert and his competitors over the rants against Trump's Cabinet.
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/6lfnrz/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-the-shady-firing-of-james-comey
But Wait on the Daily show with current host Trevor Noah I seen a funny clip where Trevor Noah's staff did say something funny in the clip after the Comey removal. And yes its about Trump. Sure Trump's people will be offended by this but I doubt the FCC is gonna waste their time with Colbert and his competitors over the rants against Trump's Cabinet.
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/6lfnrz/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-the-shady-firing-of-james-comey
During the campaign, it was The Daily Show and Trevor Noah who constantly made remarks along the line of "Trump wants to f**k his daughter." But really, Trump opened himself up for the ridicule when he said that Ivanka was so beautiful, he'd date her if she wasn't his daughter.
I never watched the series, but that would be a problem. Lena Dunham, too.
After the Janet Jackson incident, we seem to have moved away from that. I do recall at least one time seeing a woman naked from behind from a distance, on UPN.
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