Lone Activist Group Submits 99.8% of FCC Complaints

andywebz writes "Mediaweek is reporting that complaints to the FCC are rising. Powell spoke before congress, detailing that the complaints are up from 14,000 in 2002, to nearly 240,000 in 2003. There were only 350 complaints during 2000 and 2001. Powell failed to mention however that 99.8% of those complaints came from PTC (Parents Television Council). The article does mention he may have been unaware of this fact. Jonathan Rintels (president of the Center for Creative Voices in Media) commented, 'It means that really a tiny minority with a very focused political agenda is trying to censor American television and radio.'"

Small group...

[Kjuib]

This small group of complainers can then easily be taken out by a small group of assassins... There must be a reason this has not been done yet, but I cannot think of any.

240,000?

[techsoldaten]

You mean all I have to do is write 240,000 complaints to the FCC and I can control what goes on television and radio? I can write a script to do that in about an hour.

Producers of the biased, left-wing Today show - fear me.

M

Re:Small group...

[Anonymous Coward]

here is [parentstv.org] their website, go forth slashdot ninjas and conquer.

Re:Let's anti-protest!

[djtripp]

I was thinking the same thing. When ever they air a show like "Desperate Housewives" (Never watched, don't care) I'll send them a message for airing the show. Same thing for South Park. And everything that the fanatical might find kinda offensive.... yes I will have no more life, might not even be able to watch TV because I am sending so many "Thank you notes",that I will have to hiring someone in India to watch TV for me.

Re:Same as war

[Anonymous Coward]

Too late, I saw Janet Jacksons tit before I could reach for the plug! Ohh make that mental image go away!!!

Re:Stupid parents...

[myowntrueself]

"Why not just grow a spine and keep your brat kids from watching inappropriate material?"

Why not?

Because that is America; your 'brat kids' could well pull out a glock and pump some caps in yo ass.

This is America. This makes me ashamed.

[Anonymous Coward]

This is America. We are supposed to be an example of victimization to the world. We should have a varied landscape of whiners, a multicultural panoply of complainers petitioning the FCC. But we have just this one group. Shame on you America.

The New FCC

[halcyon1234]

Dear Sir/Madam

This letter is in regard to your recent complaint to the FCC regarding whatever show you think your child should not be watching.

We would like to inform you, in response to your concern, a device will be installed in all television sets that will allow you to control the content. It is called the OFF button.

We would like to mention that this device has been shipping standard with all television sets since the beginning of TV. We apologize if this was not obvious enough for you.

If you should have any other concerns or complaints then, seriously, fuck you. Use the button.

Sincerely,
The FCC

Children

[Renraku]

For the children.

Go on, say it.

For the children.

Anything you want changed, just claim that its for the children. There's a big percentage of adults in this country that have kids. Most of these people are die-hard parents.

Their own children can do no wrong, are perfect angels, etc. Its easy to see where you could get something changed if you said for the children, because if you didn't approve, you're automatically against the children.

We all know that anyone against children is a terrorist. Are you a terrorist?

That's the same kind of shit these people pull.

Re:240,000?

[DarkHelmet]

Yeah, if it's anything like some of the spam I get via scripting:

# # #

Dear FCC,

I have been watching the program #program# recently, only to find that the show's contents have been inappropriate. The program constantly details #smut in a way that is harmful to potential children watching.

Here are some instances of #smut this show has demonstrated:

• #item1#
• #item2#
• #item3#

As a parent, I am offended for this much #smut# being present on this program. Will someone please think of the children.

Thank you.

Click here to unsubscribe.

lentils chewables goto kerry fire hire boredom apathy happy

Re:Small group...

[TylerL82]

There must be a reason this has not been done yet, but I cannot think of any.

They're all too busy playing violent videogames to actually kill anybody.

Re:Those F*cking F*cks

[Anonymous Coward]

How exactly do you pronounce f*ck? Is it anything like fuck? If so, how fucking dare you. There might be fucking children watching, fucker. Watch your fucking mouth!

Re:Too bad story doesn't have

[orcrist]

I think they should change their motto to:
Because we're not watching our children.

Maybe some civic-minded Slashdotter will read your post and change it for them... ;-)

Ahem. Nevermind. Forget I said that.

-Chris

A Little Test

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmmm..

Mod me up... for the children.

(Is it working yet? Is this thing on?)

Re:Stupid parents...

[canajin56]

Get your terminology right. You do not pump caps into asses, you pump lead. Caps, vis a vis asses, are either busted, or poped.
Eg: "Imma bust a cap in yo ass" = correct
"Imma pump yo ass fulla lead" = correct
"Imma pump a cap in yo ass" = incorrect

What are they teaching in school these days, anyways?

Re:Children

[DogDude]

I feel that it should be legal for me to snort coke off a hooker's ass while driving a stolen Humvee at 80 mph through a church parking lot. For the children.

They must be stopped.

[FatalTourist]

From their site.

10 'Best' Shows

...
5. 7th Heaven

7th Heaven? 7TH HEAVEN?? If you want to experience true murderous rage, please watch this show.

Re:Children

[BosstonesOwn]

I must be a terrorist.

Does any one else find it humourous when the said little female angel is found in the back of the bus at 13 giving a hummer to a 16 year old ? Then the little angel parents sue the school and school bus company ? Which she then gets knocked up at 16 and the parents blame tv ?

Maybe I got a sick twisted sense of humour but that there is funny.

Re:Let's anti-protest!

[Tackhead]

> I wonder how many of those people have any children to be exposed to TV

Huh? Where do you think we got the idea of stickin' Tab A into Slot B from in the first place? Why, the filthy TV, of course!

(But thank God that Mom and Dad only had access to the old filthy TV. With the new filthy TV (24/7 reruns of Queer Eye and Ellen), why, our Moms and Dads would have just sat there lookin' confused 'n' stuff, and we wouldn't even EXIST!)

Re:PTC

[AnotherFreakboy]

If anyone is looking to kick the PTCs arse (I'm Australian) in court, they could try to get something out of (from the article):

tools developed by the PTC, including continual monitoring and

archiving of broadcast network programs

I have a feeling that archiving of broadcast television is against a whole bunch of laws, though my knowledge of American Law is nothing to speak up about.

Re:Somebody's gotta do it.

[JustAnotherBob]

I wonder who's gonna be the first one to sign them up for all those pr0n video catalog solicitations? ;-)

Parents Television Council
707 Wilshire Boulevard #2075
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Re:They must be stopped.

[yourmom16]

3) Shows like Southpark are not mentioned. Why? Probably because they realize southpark would make a show about them and tear their organization to shreds in the minds of most teenagers, so they ignore it.

They lost all credibility among teenagers, when they put the word parent's in their name.

And as I write this...

[Machine9]

.. commercials for phonesex lines are passing along my TV happily, each one accompanied by a cheesy jingle and footage of young girls undressing all the way.
yes.
all the way.

...sometimes living in the netherlands isn't so bad really :)

Re:They must be stopped.

[Thuktun]

7th Heaven? 7TH HEAVEN?? If you want to experience true murderous rage, please watch this show.

(cue slightly-related Family Guy bit)

ANNOUNCER: We now return to 'Touched By An Angel'.
LAWYER: Now Billy, show us exactly where the Angel touched you.
BILLY: Umm...here?
(BILLY POINTS TO THE DOLL'S CROTCH)
ANGEL: Oh, come on! Who you going to believe?! I got a freakin' halo for God's sake!

A new slashdot classic

[JumperCable]

Could this be a new slashdot classic, for the children?

Soon we will be imagining a bewolf clusters of children (ala matrix)... & in Soviet Russian the children are for you (which might be true)...

god I hope that when the machines take over they aren't programmed by members of the PTC. Can you imagine the Matrix they would create. No one would ever have any sex... wait a minute... has anyone here on slashdot ever had any sex?

Re:Let's anti-protest!

[Kludge]

No kidding. I was watching late night TV in Germany and saw a couple having sex. The female was completely naked. But the best part was the little NBC peacock logo (with the letters NBC) in the lower right corner. I really wished I had a VCR so I could send it to the FCC and cause some higgledy-piggledy.

Re:Fight tech with tech!

[Anonymous Coward]

perhaps you Americans could make some crazy use of the Patriot Act.... :)

I'm bothered by this one

[pherris]

PTC's 1999-2000 Least & Most Family-Friendly Shows:

2) Family Guy

(Fox/not ranked last season)
Fox's Family Guy was unbelievably foul. This low-rated, raunchy, animated series centered on a couple, their two teenagers, and their precociously evil infant son. In its first full year, the show's creators managed to include nearly every conceivable obscenity, and references to every imaginable sexual perversion from incest to necrophilia. Series staples included nudity and references to pornography and masturbation. One episode this spring featured Peter Griffin giving his adolescent son his entire stockpile of pornographic magazines. The fact that Family Guy aired during the family hour makes it that much worse. Institutions such as the church and family were held up to ridicule on a near-weekly basis. Fortunately, The Family Guy was not picked up for next season.

From "Chitty Chitty Death Bang"

Jesus: "Okay, everybody, for my next miracle, I'm going to turn water into funk!"

I'm bothered that it only made number two (beaten by WWE). It was one of funniest shows ever on tv. Thankfully, unlike Jesus, this show has been resurrected. Can someone please tell these churchies to go away and shut the fuck up? I going out to do some toad now.

SATAN COMMANDS YOU TO BUY THE FAMILY GUY DVDS!!!

Re:Let's anti-protest!

[Some_Llama]

"I remember being startled later when they finally aired that movie with "bitch" in the clear. Now "bitch" is being censored again."

Maybe because the second time they realized that the alien was female (and thusly indeed a "bitch")?

Good comments all around though.

MOD PARENTS DOWN

[Psionicist]

Powell failed to mention however that 99.8% of those complaints came from PTC (Parents Television Council).

MOD PARENTS DOWN!

But

[andy314159pi]

But 100% of the complaints about the PTC come from Cowboy Neal.

Re:I don't think so.

[SagaLore]

Just once it would be nice to read slashdot commentary without some kind of political bashing.

Re:It does explain an awful lot.

[Sinner]

Maybe you mean that as a joke, but there are indeed subcultures in this country where objectification, degradation and subjugation of women is the norm.

You are, of course, talking about the Republican Party?

Re:PTC

[Ath]

Does that include Iraq and Afghanistan? >/i>

It does now, baby!

Re:I don't think so. - repressed sexuality

[saintp]

Wait, are you one of those right-wing nutjobs who thinks that things can actually be solved through market activism rather than crying to the government to hold our hands? You people make me sick.

Re:I think so.

[stanmann]

The Herbal Essence Commercial is a 30 second spot having a woman recieving a "fully organic experience" from her shampoo, complete with a screaming organsim. Now, Explain a screaming organsim to a 5 year old.