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[Willco]

... Censoring America, one day at a time. My grandfather worked for the FCC for as long as I can remember, and it's shit like this that made him retire. He used to love working for them, now he's sort of ashamed.

TV Stations Cancel 'Saving Private Ryan'

2 hours, 39 minutes ago Television - AP
By LEON DROUIN KEITH, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - Several ABC affiliates have announced that they won't take part in the network's Veterans Day airing of "Saving Private Ryan," saying the acclaimed film's violence and language could draw sanctions from the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites).

Stations replacing the movie with other programming Thursday include Cox Television-owned stations in Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., three Midwest stations owned by Citadel Communications.

"Under strict interpretation of the rules, we can't run that programming before 10 p.m.," said Ray Cole, president of Citadel, which owns WOI-TV in Des Moines, KCAU-TV in Sioux City and KLKN-TV in Lincoln, Neb.

The Oscar-winning film includes a violent depiction of the D-Day invasion and profanity.

"We have attempted to get an advanced waiver from the FCC (news - web sites) and, remarkably to me, they are not willing to do so," Cole told The Des Moines Register.

In a statement on the Web site of Atlanta's WSB-TV, the station's vice president and general manager, Greg Stone cited a March ruling in which the FCC said an expletive uttered by rock star Bono during NBC's live airing of the 2003 Golden Globe Awards (news - web sites) was both indecent and profane.

The agency made it clear then that virtually any use of the F-word — which is used in "Saving Private Ryan" — was inappropriate for over-the-air radio and television.

The Bono case "reversed years of prior policy that the context of language matters," Stone said. He added that broadcaster could not get any clarification from the FCC on whether the movie violates the standard.

Other stations that decided not to air the movie include WGNO-TV of New Orleans, owned by Tribune Broadcasting Corp., and WMUR-TV of Manchester, N.H., owned by Hearst-Argyle Television Inc.

ABC, which broadcast the film uncut in 2001 and 2002, issued a statement saying it is proud to broadcast it again. The network's contract with director Steven Spielberg stipulates that the film cannot be edited.

"As in the past, this broadcast will contain appropriate and clear advisories and parental guidelines," the statement said.

Several stations said ABC had rejected their requests to air the movie after 10 p.m.

An FCC spokeswoman said Wednesday that the agency does not monitor television broadcasts, but responds to complaints. The agency did receive a complaint after the 2001 broadcast of "Saving Private Ryan," but it was denied, she said.

WSOC-TV of Charlotte said it had received complaints about language in the movie when it was aired in 2001 and 2002.

"Now, after much concern and discussion about family viewing over past months, and with Americans at war across the world, it is the vivid depiction of violence combined with graphic language proposed to begin airing at 8 p.m. that has forced our decision," said Lee Armstrong, the station's vice president and general manager.

ABC has told its affiliates it would cover any fines, but Cole, of Citadel, said the network could not protect its affiliates against other FCC sanctions.

The FCC has stepped up enforcement of its decency standards for certain content following this year's Super Bowl halftime show, in which one of Janet Jackson (news)'s breasts was exposed.

Profane speech, which is barred from broadcast radio and television between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., is defined by the FCC as language that is "so grossly offensive to members of the public who actually hear it as to amount to a nuisance," or epithets that tend "to provoke violent resentment."

The guidelines say the context in which such material appears is of critical importance.

Cole cited recent FCC actions and last week's re-election of President Bush (news - web sites) as reasons for replacing "Saving Private Ryan" on Thursday with a music program and the TV movie "Return to Mayberry."

"We're just coming off an election where moral issues were cited as a reason by people voting one way or another and, in my opinion, the commissioners are fearful of the new Congress," Cole said.

 

[Particle Physicist]

f*ck you janet.. look what you started..

 

[OmniGamer]

This country is like a pair of rounded safety scissors.

 

[FnordChan]

f*ck you janet.. look what you started..

Don't blame Janet. The FCC was just looking for an excuse. What you mean to say was "f*ck you michael powell".

FnordChan

 

[borghe]

and wouldn't you know my station would be one of them.............

god damn it..

 

[iapetus]

...and the land of the free?

 

[FnordChan]

By the way, ABC looks to be clearly within their rights to broadcast Saving Private Ryan uncut after 10pm with a warning. The hours from 10pm to 6am are the "safe harbor", where indecent (not obscene, mind you, but indecent) language can be played with a warning. If ABC is putting up indecency notices every commercial break, there should be no problem. That is, assuming broadcasters don't panic and refuse to air the program thanks to fear of the FCC.

I believe the term we're looking for here is "chilling effects"...

FnordChan

 

[FortNinety]

You know, all those jokes regarding how psycho conservative this nations is becoming are starting to become a reality.

 

[AeroGod]

*watches DVD*

 

[tedtropy]

Pfft, let public TV quibble over the evil of a nipple or 'sanitizing' a movie that's about freaking war. I think I'll stick to my paid movie channels or pop in a DVD.

 

[Escape Goat]

If you want to do the movie justice go and rent the damned thing. No one ever watches Nightmare on Elm Street or Jason movies on cable because they edit out everything, if for gore then for time.

 

[Iceman]

You guys should be ashamed if you don't own the DVD. There I said it.

 

[videogamer]

You guys should be ashamed if you don't own the DVD. There I said it.

That's like, "if you don't own this game, you suck". Different people have different tastes.

 

[tedtropy]

You guys should be ashamed if you don't own the DVD. There I said it.

It's an incredible movie, no doubt about, although I have a hard time deciding which is the better war movie - Saving Private Ryan or Full Metal Jacket. Oh well, they're both incredible.

 

[DarthWoo]

You guys should be ashamed if you don't own the DVD. There I said it.

It was actually among the first 5 DVDs that I owned, way back in college. Unfortunately, I was looking for a bargain, and the DTS version happened to be the cheaper, so that's what I picked up. Although I know DTS is arguably better than regular DD5.1, I had a DD5.1 system for my PC, and so I must listen to it in just whatever the regular not-quite-surround mode is if I watch it on PC.

There was one time when I went to visit a neighbor in the dorms who had a ridiculously nice audio setup in his room. I believe he had a Sony receiver and a full complement of Polk Audio speakers. Not only did he have such things, but his roommate also had a receiver, and two huge (I mean like 3 or 4 feet off the ground, maybe larger than the micro-fridges we got there) speakers as well as a rather large center channel speaker. It was during fall break, or another day when most people would be gone, so I convinced him to put the DVD in, at an extremely loud volume. Despite most people being gone, including the RA, we did attract a bit of unwanted attention from all along the hall.

 

[way more]

It's an incredible movie, no doubt about, although I have a hard time deciding which is the better war movie - Saving Private Ryan or Full Metal Jacket. Oh well, they're both incredible.

Don't forget Platoon.

 

[tedtropy]

Don't forget Platoon.

I enjoyed Platoon, although I don't consider it quite in the same league as the two aforementioned movies.

 

[Dreamfixx]

My station is showing Oprah... there is no God.

 

[Che]

f*ck you janet.. look what you started..

Don't blame Janet. Blame the rednecks who were "offended" by something so natural like breasts. I swear we see boobs in commercials and shows 24/7 here and noone gets offended. Well, some get offended but they're are considered so marginal that noone cares what they say. On the other hand America is ruled by conservatives and rednecks and the only person who had the balls to ignore them was Janet. That's the way I see it...

 

[Drensch]

Pfft, let public TV quibble over the evil of a nipple or 'sanitizing' a movie that's about freaking war. I think I'll stick to my paid movie channels or pop in a DVD.

Tell that to the people who wanted to watch F9/11 on pay per view. The religious freaks ruined that too.

 

[Manabanana]

Ah, there's a reason I don't own a televsion. Whoo hoo! Boycott!

 

[NLB2]

Saving Private Ryan? Platoon? Phfa. Its all about Apocolypse Now.

 

[belgurdo]

Ah, there's a reason I don't own a televsion. Whoo hoo! Boycott!

What do you play games on? Monitor?

 

[Manabanana]

Yeah. I have a TV/video capture card. I've never checked to see if I get basic channels, though. I wonder...oh well.

 

[MrPing1000]

Time for the fcc song

 

[XS+]

You guys should be ashamed if you don't own the DVD. There I said it.

I own the superior Black Hawk Down.

 

[Cubsfan23]

What could the FCC do if all the major networks banded together and said "Fuck you", deciding to take a stand?

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

What could the FCC do if all the major networks banded together and said "Fuck you", deciding to take a stand?

Fine the hell out of all of them and then we would be right back to square one.

 

[Cubsfan23]

What if they all refused to pay fines? FCC won't have the balls to shut down TV

 

[AniHawk]

I own the superior Black Hawk Down.

I own you all: Band of Brothers complete DVD collection.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

This is true. But, that would be a mass revolt that I don't think a conserative business like the television industry is willing to take.

 

[Substance]

I'm afraid a new card has been drawn

Bridge on the River Kwai comes Second.

 

[DarthWoo]

What if they all refused to pay fines? FCC won't have the balls to shut down TV

There comes a time when every TV station needs to renew their broadcast license. That's when they're most vulnerable. You don't want to pay the fines? Fine. We'll just give your license to a more compliant station.

 

[3phemeral]

This country is like a pair of rounded safety scissors.

:lol