MAJOR F-Bomb on KGO-TV and KNTV-TV

[sdwulfdawg]

What is the current FCC rule on live news broadcasts when an actuality blurts out an unexpected F-bomb?

Aren't stations supposed to be on a 10-second delay so someone can hit the button in master control so the F-bomb doesn't get out over the air? I can imagine that trying to do a "live" broadcast would be hard with a delay...

The big F-bomb happened the other day when gay marriage proponent, Faith Kendall, blurted out the F-bomb at the beginning of her statement... Reminds me of when KTLA broadcast the killing of the car chase suspect...

Here is the broadcast, of course, courtesy of Youtube.

KGO-TV:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-bs6eiu3tA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

KNTV-TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR96ONNkLts

I'm trying to settle a debate with a friend what the rule (if any) is....

All opinions are greatly appreciated on this!

 

[nathannah]

Not seeing anything actionable here. Both stations immediately cut down the audio and apologized for the profanity. It would've been an issue if the speech was full of expletives and they went forward, but it wasn't and it's understood that news events offer a bigger bit of latitude when it comes to swearing; KNTV had it much worse days before when the Blackhawks let out multiple 'F--- yeah!'s during the Cup-winning skate that went unbleeped by NBC Sports (five in a row by my count).

If someone files a complaint to the FCC, they will have to look at it and likely a letter will be put in the warning file, at most. But if a letter isn't sent, technically it can't be actioned upon because of a lack of a complaint.

 

[w9wi]

No, there is no requirement for a delay.

It is my suspicion (refutable!) that the FCC would not take action if the person delivering the bad language was not a station employee and could not have been reasonably expected to be swearing.

A delay, especially in HD, would be rather expensive. Probably more expensive would be the person to hover over the button ready to dump the delay.

 

[Morgan Wick]

It is my suspicion (refutable!) that the FCC would not take action if the person delivering the bad language was not a station employee and could not have been reasonably expected to be swearing.

Tell that to the stations fined over the Janet Jackson incident...

 

[crainbebo]

Did KPIX, KRON or KTVU broadcast the "F--- Prop 8!" as well?

-crainbebo

 

[searadiofreak]

It must be understood that swearing on tv or radio is not a crime. The FCC will investigate and perhaps lay down penalites only if someone complains. Which is the proper role of a government agency. Even then, underlying issues may effect the outcome. As in this case, if the show is live, and the interviewee swears, the station may have little, or no liability. The FCC has no rules about delayed broadcasts.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

It is my suspicion (refutable!) that the FCC would not take action if the person delivering the bad language was not a station employee and could not have been reasonably expected to be swearing.

Tell that to the stations fined over the Janet Jackson incident...

Which were eventually thrown out by the US Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit (twice) before the Supreme Court refused to hear the FCC's final appeal last year.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/media/story/2012-06-29/janet-jackson-wardrobe-malfunction-supreme-court/55913802/1

The appeals court said FCC's policy of excusing fleeting instances of indecent words and images appeared to change without notice in March 2004, a month after Jackson's halftime act. The judges said that made the agency's action against CBS "arbitrary and capricious."

 

[ercjncpr]

What is the current FCC rule on live news broadcasts when an actuality blurts out an unexpected F-bomb?

Aren't stations supposed to be on a 10-second delay so someone can hit the button in master control so the F-bomb doesn't get out over the air? I can imagine that trying to do a "live" broadcast would be hard with a delay...

The big F-bomb happened the other day when gay marriage proponent, Faith Kendall, blurted out the F-bomb at the beginning of her statement... Reminds me of when KTLA broadcast the killing of the car chase suspect...

Here is the broadcast, of course, courtesy of Youtube.

KGO-TV:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-bs6eiu3tA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

KNTV-TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR96ONNkLts

I'm trying to settle a debate with a friend what the rule (if any) is....

All opinions are greatly appreciated on this!

Both stations handled it admirably

 

[justpassingthough]

It is my suspicion (refutable!) that the FCC would not take action if the person delivering the bad language was not a station employee and could not have been reasonably expected to be swearing.

Tell that to the stations fined over the Janet Jackson incident...

Which were eventually thrown out by the US Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit (twice) before the Supreme Court refused to hear the FCC's final appeal last year.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/media/story/2012-06-29/janet-jackson-wardrobe-malfunction-supreme-court/55913802/1

The appeals court said FCC's policy of excusing fleeting instances of indecent words and images appeared to change without notice in March 2004, a month after Jackson's halftime act. The judges said that made the agency's action against CBS "arbitrary and capricious."

They basically cemented the concept that "fleeting" expletives that could not be expected, at events like awards shows or sporting events, isn't really an actionable offense for stations.

 

[JeeperOne]

On top of all this, it was an activist who dropped the F-Bomb. Not a journalist like the recent Spokane incident. Broadcasts have little to no control over what other people say (Especially if they're not used to being on TV)

I doubt the FCC will do anything in this case.....

JMO though.....

Cheers & 73 ;D

 

[arnoldevns]

What the FCC can do and what it would like to do are two different things.
It wanted to fine NBC and every NBC affiliate that aired an F-bomb from Bono during some awards show.
The courts made sure that did not happen. Congress also threatened to step in. They have a fairly limited ability to fine stations on something like this. If stations could be fined for a thing lime this, people could go around to liveshots and drop f-bombs just for the fun of costing the station tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[newsmark]

But if there's a complaint, even if the ultimate ruling is in favor of the TV stations, they could have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in court.