Delays, Low Fines Weaken FCC Attack on Indecency

[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Frank Ahrens]
The FCC's record of policing the airwaves for indecency has been undermined by plodding investigations, insufficient fine amounts and inconsistent follow-up. The agency's role has come under greater scrutiny in recent months as consumers and lawmakers grow concerned about the increasingly coarse content of radio and television -- last year, the FCC received more than 1 million complaints about programs. Broadcasters say the FCC's content guidelines are too tough and arbitrarily applied while some lawmakers, viewers and interest groups blame the agency for being too lax. The FCC is preparing to release a wave of backlogged decisions in the next few weeks after nearly a year of silence, and agency officials promise that the process will speed up. (long article looks at how indecency enforcement (doesn't) work.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/09/AR2005110902078.html
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