Reactions Mixed To 'Fleeting Expletives' Ruling

Reactions To Yesterday's Ruling

THE SECOND CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALs ruling YESTERDAY (NET NEWS 7/13)  that the FCC's "fleeting expletives" indecency rules were "unconstitutionally vague, creating a chilling effect that goes far beyond the fleeting expletives at issue here," has incited different reactions from different parties.

LEWIS LAZARE in THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES spoke with several local personalities. "I think it’s good news," said CHICAGO radio vet GARY MEIER, who went on to tell LAZARE "that he’s never had a problem policing himself when it comes to what he says on air. 'Anyone who’s serious about broadcasting is already doing that all the time,' he said."

MEIER remembered back to when he was teamed with shock jock STEVE DAHL on WLUP, and said the two were always thinking about what went over the airwaves. "We had a delay button, and we would use it to delete something."

"Still, MEIER and DAHL were involved in a high-profile FCC suit in 1993 involving alleged on-air indecency," writes LAZARE. "At the time, MEIER said he and DAHL believed these actions were the result of just a few people who made a point of complaining loudly to the FCC."

TRIBUNE News-Talk WGN-A/CHICAGO GM TOM LANGMYER was positive about the decision. "It’s a good decision. It wouldn’t make any day-to-day difference at WGN, but it should lead to more understandable rules for broadcasters -- and perhaps an end to radio and television being singled out for harsher treatment than other media, such as satellite, Internet radio or cable TV."

Not everyone was happy though, as ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE Executive Dir. DAVID EDWARD SMITH told LAZARE it was "a sad decision. What this says to parents is that you don’t have a reasonable expectation of not being assaulted from your television or radio."

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