Statement of Penny Nance, Chief Executive Officer and President of Concerned Women for America (CWA), regarding FCC v. Fox. Oral arguments are scheduled for tomorrow at the U.S. Supreme Court.
This very important case could jeopardize the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to maintain standards of decency on the people’s broadcast airwaves. Parents want to be able to sit down with their children and watch broadcast television without having to be worried about “f-bombs” or nudity during family hour, but broadcasters believe they have the right to continue to promote indecent material with impunity, under the guise of “Freedom of Speech.”
The Supreme Court has been clear that the First Amendment does not protect every utterance and has upheld the FCC’s authority to regulate indecency in the past. We hope they do so again.
The FCC’s standard is not “arbitrary and capricious” or “vague,” as broadcasters claim. The standard is clearly laid out. Their true objection is not that the standard moved, but that they are being held accountable. It is apparent that Hollywood’s goal is for the culture to become only coarser and raunchier.
We hope the Supreme Court sees right through their flawed reasoning and enables the FCC to continue to work on behalf of families and children.