Only Sheep Complain to the FCC

The Federal Communications Commission released its third-quarter numbers yesterday, revealing that it received 162,170 indecency/obscenity complaints from July through September 2006. When and why those complaints went from trickle to flood is an interesting story.

You see, in July, only 179 people complained. The next month, the tally was 404. Then September hit and ohmigod, did we ever witness a sudden festival of filth. 161,587 complaints reached the FCC in September — as Ars Technica notes, a one-month increase of 40,000 percent.

Baffled? Don't be. I've explained the phenomenon before, courtesy of Reason, but Ars Technica's Nate Anderson does a particularly fine job putting the matter in perspective.

What generally happens is that activist groups like the Parents Television Council ("Because our children are watching") monitor the dirtiest shows on television, then write up the foul language and sexual activity in excruciating, pornographic detail (if you think I'm kidding, look halfway down the PTC page about Nip/Tuck for the paragraph beginning "Sex acts depicted..."). Video clips are also archived and shown in order to generate the requisite outrage. Periodic, large-scale campaigns are then mounted to flood the FCC with complaints over particular shows, and whenever one of these is successful, there's a massive spike in obscenity complaints. 

Inescapable conclusion: 

Judging from the numbers in July and August, few Americans care enough to contact the FCC without such prompting. 

As an aside, it's worth remembering that Nip/Tuck is a cable show. Also, it airs at 10 or 11 p.m., after the kiddies are off to bed. Also, it is typically watched on a new-fangled device called a "television set," that usually has this thingamabob somewhere on the front called an "on/off button," plus another control that is apparently called (I hope my sources got this right) a "channel changer." Also, I'm told these "television sets" feature a "V-chip," which, it seems, lets those with a deep fondness for Victorian nightgowns banish any glimpse of a lady's midriff plus any uncouth utterances — but maybe that's just a rumor.

Even if such a chip had been present in all new "TV sets" for, oh, seven years or so, should concerned parents really be expected to spend an eternity of 30 seconds programming the chip with their magic "remote-control" wand, or whatever it's called? I submit that it's much better for them to write to their protectors at the FCC whenever they're told to be offended, and demand the removal of steamy fare so that no one may see it.

And at least 161,587 of my fellow Americans back me up on that.

Comments

[ben]

Shouldn't the FCC ban mirrors in bathrooms? Every morning I see a naked man in my mirror, sometimes even a naked woman at his side. Isn't it disgusting, all this pornographic equipment we have on our bodies.

[Jeff the Poustman]

What channel do you broadcast that show on, Ben? You know, just in case I, uh, want to view it for critiquing/complaining reasons.

[George Arndt]

The problem with the term "obscene" is that its very subjective term. It has a different definition all the time. Personally, I think the FCC is pretty obscene

[ben]

Jeff, there must be switch in your bathroom to switch ... the light on. As for the naked woman, sorry, I only have one and I wouldn't like to see her in somebody other's mirror :-)

[ben]

correction: ... somebody else's

[Timothy]

And at least 161,587 of my fellow Americans back me up on that.

Well, there's no evidence that all of those complaints were from unique individuals, but even if you take it at face value, that means roughly .056% of your fellow Americans care enough to complain to the FCC when prompted. In other words: absolutely no one.

If you only want to look at the over 18 population, it's roughly .071% of the population...which still amounts to absolutely nobody.

[Rogier]

Timothy:

I was being sarcastic. Not THAT hard to spot, is it?

Thanks,

Rogier

[Lee]

We have a lunch group 'BBQ and BS' that meets on Wednesdays. We cover all topics and we have a wide range of social/politcal ideas represented.

One day we were discussing this very issue and our religous guy (who is different from our fundie guy) commented that he did not want to see it on his TV set and he never agreed let it be on his TV set. We told him that he entered a contract the second he hit the On button. If he did not like what is on, to either change the channel or turn it off. After a bit more discussion, he tended to agree that by turning on the TV he is entering into a contract.

He did bring up the 'for the kids' and asked me about it (I have two, 7 & 10 years old). I told him that the kids only watch Nikelodean without supervision and ALL other TV watching is with either my wife or I.

[Timothy]

Rogier: Well, you know, I've never been accused of being an observant man.