FCC 'Whitewashing' Blues, Says Scorsese

FCC 'WHITEWASHING' BLUES, SAYS SCORSESE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Producer-director Martin Scorsese told the FCC Friday that profanity was integral to the language of his TV documentary and that to censor it would "strip the documentary of its essential authenticity and historical accuracy." Saying it reflected his "deep concern over the adverse impact" the FCC's fining of his Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues PBS series would have on "the creative process generally and, more specifically, on the ability and willingness of filmmakers to produce authentic documentaries and other valuable programming for presentation on broadcast television," Scorsese Friday weighed into the TV indecency fight. It came in the form of a sworn statement, part of a massive filing to the FCC by the San Mateo Community College District, licensee of KCSM-TV San Mateo, Calif. (San Francisco). That was one of the stations fined for profanity in the FCC's March release of almost a dozen proposed indecency findings against TV stations for sex and language. The station challenged the $15,000 fine, saying it was unconstitutional and calling into question the underpinnings of indecency regulation in general. Scorsese also objected to relegating the show to the 10 p.m.-6 a.m. hours during which profanity and adult sexuality are protected from FCC fines. "Our mutual artistic objective of broadly sharing an accurate depiction of one of the few uniquely American art forms will be severely undermined if the Commission limits broadcast of the film to hours when viewership is lowest," he argued.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6332444?display=Breaking+News

See also --
* Stand Up for Free Speech
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6332449?display=Opinion