FCC Double Standard & Saving Private Ryan

With all the fear of the new FCC and massive fines ABC takes a risk tonight by airing in full uncensored and unedited version of Saving Private Ryan.

As many as 6 ABC stations rejected the boadcast out of fear of the FCC.

But most ABC stations in the USA are broadcasting it.

Though I am sure there is a good reason... and I for one applaud ABC for being willing to air this show in unedited form... I think this brings up more questions.

The language alone is very shocking and real... The graphic scenes of death, blood, guts and body parts... I have to wonder what the real motive could be.

The FCC said it was fine with the boadcast and would only take action if they recieve complaints.

Is it possible that this also helps to bring people to understand war?... Showing a side many do not want to think about?

Is this educational?

If any other broadcast had even one F word in it I am sure there would be fines... in the first hour of this broadcast there must have been 100 clear uses of this word... among others just as bad!

I am not bitching... I just think having a double standard when it comes to a broadcast involving war is fine and anything in that context is OK.

But to even come close to this kind of content in any other context on any broacast TV show would bring massive fines from the FCC.

Any Thoughts?

Gazz



[edit on 11-11-2004 by UM_Gazz]

War is ugly and people should realize it. People say harsh things while engaged in war. The stress brings out both the best and worst in people it would seem. This too should be known. If this movie is an acurate representaion of actual war conditions, I would see it as educational.

What I don't understand is why war, which all will agree is a negative thing can be shown along with any other type of violence one can imagine, while sex, which if done well, and by people who care for each other can be a really positive thing, can't be.

Saving Private Ryan is considered "art" perhaps... and "Southpark: Bigger Longer Uncut" is not, I guess.

I have no problem with it being shown on network TV. If a parent doesn't want their kids to see it, then thats their perogative as a parent and yay for them for being involved as they should. If I don't want to see it, I watch something else.

A note on censorship lunacy: I propose every television show should be required to flash a nipple at least once during the broadcast. Age, sex, size, shape is not important. Bring on the nipples.

When I first heard that several markets were not going to show Saving Private Ryan because they were concerned with FCC fines - I had to wonder why. Schindler's List was shown and the affiliates stood by that decision noting that it was an important film. Would the FCC actually fine them?

They say:

"Would the FCC conclude that the movie has sufficient social, artistic, literary, historical or other kinds of value that would protect us from breaking the law?" WOI-TV President Raymond Cole said in a statement appearing on its Web site. "With the current FCC, we just don't know."

What's really up here? IMO the affiliates picked a similarly important film - showing the horrors of war - and decided to play political football with it. The FCC has been overly aggressive this past year and the affiliates are giving them a little payback.

Just my 2 cents.
B.

Thumbs up to ABC for choosing to air it unedited. War is hell, and I think that many people don't realize how horrific it can be.

If this is ABC's reason for doing so, I can only guess.

As for the FCC, it is hard to say. Maybe they are setting a double standard, or maybe they are keeping things "contextual" and supporting ABC's decision to air Saving Private Ryan on Veteran's Day as a historical piece.

Well, the dif. between South Park and Private Ryan is well, uh, one is a cartoon? SP is aired uncensored at 1 am everynow and then. But still, it isn't a double standard, just going from show to show. A show who says.." # # # #ty # #." and a show that says "What kind of # has god given us?" is different. Up to me neither would be edited, but the one who just says # to say # and the other one who actually uses the word to show emotion is different.

The issue is that there is no definitive ruling by the FCC whether or not the affiliates airing "Saving Private Ryan" would be fined for showing the questionable content. Many of them asked the FCC commissioners for a ruling prior to airing the film and were told that a ruling could not be made and the FCC would only act if complaints were received. That sounds like trying to nail Jell-o to the wall if you ask me.

Being that complaints were received during past airings of this film and fines are more hefty these days, some stations didn't want to take the chance. Of course, complaints are received for virtually every program and it is the FCC's decision whether or not to take action, so it is not hard to make the leap to wondering whether the choices of who is fined are made using some politically-motivated logic.

Broadcast standards have gotten quite conservative over the past few years and things that were okay in the 90's are too racy for the new millenium. The FCC has been inconsistent in their rulings and fines, so to reduce risk, most broadcast companies have just chosen to eliminate most questionable content or air it late at night.

They are only doing this cause we have men dying in Iraq and they dont want the movie to exasperate the mothers and fathers fear of their child being killed.

Originally posted by James the Lesser
Well, the dif. between South Park and Private Ryan is well, uh, one is a cartoon? SP is aired uncensored at 1 am everynow and then. But still, it isn't a double standard, just going from show to show. A show who says.." # # # #ty # #." and a show that says "What kind of # has god given us?" is different. Up to me neither would be edited, but the one who just says # to say # and the other one who actually uses the word to show emotion is different.

It was sarcasm, hon we're coming from the same place on this one and I'm pleased to see the 'turn censors off' function on ATS working so well - first thing I bought. I know there is a difference, thats pretty much what I had said, and I don't have a problem with either of them being aired 24 hours a day. The double standard I see was hilighted perfectly in the imfamous Janet Jackson bit. The show around her had women dressed as school girls pretending to hump the air, crotch grabbing, gangsta lyrics, and her nip was shown for less than a second, and people freaked all out as if that was the only thing they didnt want their kids to see. I was watching the show, and didn't even see it. PBS, however, can show naked women walking around, or in medical situation and no one cares. I'm telling you - a nipple in every show. Let's do it.

Hmm..Funny thing is, I could have sworn they showed it unedited about a year ago, too. Was there a problem then?

Originally posted by Narain
Hmm..Funny thing is, I could have sworn they showed it unedited about a year ago, too. Was there a problem then?

last year so many of our men havent died yet but now they are dropping like flies in IRAQ, no negative shows like this thats reminds people their loved one can or has died will help the goverment with recruiting

I'm a pretty open person but this movie had absolutely no business being unedited and on evening public TV. You didn't even need cable to see that. It was probably one of the most graphic war movies I have seen. Just wrong! Frankly I hope they get fined. It was in my opinion very poor taste. Imagine not knowing this was on and just surfing channels with the wife and young kids and come across ABC at the time some guys guts were hanging out. Just wrong!