[Libs-Or] [Fwd: [MEMBER-FORUM:464] Rep. Sanders Sponsors Bill To Prevent Government Censorship of Cable T.V. and Internet Content]

[Diedre Conkling]

============================================================
From: "Don Wood" <dwood at ala.org>
Date: 2005/04/07 Thu PM 12:38:48 PDT
To: <ifaction at ala.org>
Subject: [MEMBER-FORUM:464] Rep. Sanders Sponsors Bill To Prevent Government Censorship of
	Cable T.V. and Internet Content

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Erin Campbell

april 5, 2005
(202) 225-4115


Rep. Sanders Sponsors Bill To Prevent Government Censorship of Cable T.V.
and Internet Content
Legislation Will Protect Consumers' Right to View Popular Television
Programs and Web sites

WASHINGTON - Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has announced the introduction of
legislation to prevent the government from censoring the content on popular
cable T.V. shows and Internet websites.  The legislation, Stamp Out
Censorship (HR 1440), is in response to recently approved House legislation
increasing Federal Communication Commission (FCC) "indecency" fines for
broadcast television and radio. The Senate is considering companion
legislation and some in the Senate have proposed imposing these same
"indecency" regulations on programming provided over cable, satellite, and
the Internet.  If this proposal were adopted, Americans would be unable to
view popular shows like The Sopranos and The Daily Show or would only be
able to watch them late at night.

Sanders said, "There is a growing culture of censorship in this country that
needs to be ended.  First they went after broadcast television and radio and
now they want to censor cable, satellite and the Internet. The bottom line
is that government commissars should not be the arbiters of what Americans
see and hear, especially over cable, satellite and the Internet -- all of
which people have to pay for in order to receive." 

 Sanders legislation clarifies that the FCC's power to regulate indecency
applies only to material broadcast over public airwaves and would forbid
application of the regulations to cable, satellite, the internet or other
mediums that are selected and paid for by consumers. 

Sanders continued, "We don't need the FCC bleeping Tony Soprano or Jon
Stewart.  Allowing the FCC to regulate these venues would, in affect, permit
the government to control what content people can purchase.  That offends
basic American principles of freedom and liberty that are the foundation of
our democracy."

The U.S. House approved the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 (HR.
310) on February 16, 2005. This legislation increased fines for "indecent"
material broadcast over public airways to $500,000. The Senate is currently
considering companion legislation. Sanders legislation, Stamp Out Censorship
(HR 1440), was announced on March 17, 2005 and is continuing to increase its
list of cosponsors. 

###



============================================================


Diedre Conkling
     
  Lincoln County Library District
  P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR  97365
  Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
  http://lcld.library-blogs.net/
  Work:  diedre at mail.crsn.lib.or.us
  Home:  diedrec at charter.net