FCC May Crackdown on Soap Operas Next - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jenya · 04-04-2004, 04:50 PM

FCC May Crackdown on Soap Operas Next

By Chris Baker
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

April 03, 2004

Soap operas have become a potential target in the Federal Communications Commission's crackdown on broadcast indecency, according to a key official who said the programs might be too "steamy" for daytime television.
Michael J. Copps, the FCC commissioner who has led the agency's campaign against adult-oriented radio programs, told reporters Wednesday that the FCC should review whether soap operas violate the agency's indecency prohibitions, according to Television Week, an industry trade publication.
Mr. Copps, one of two Democrats on the five-member panel, said he stumbled across a racy soap-opera scene while channel-surfing recently.
"It was pretty steamy stuff for the middle of the afternoon," Mr. Copps said.
Under FCC rules, over-the-air television and radio stations cannot broadcast material involving sexual and excretory functions between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., when children might tune in. The FCC does not regulate content that airs on cable and satellite television.
Mr. Copps made his remarks after a National Association of Broadcasters' summit on "responsible programming." The daylong meeting was closed to the press, although Mr. Copps — one of several FCC officials who attended — met with reporters afterward.
Mr. Copps could not be reached yesterday because he was traveling, an aide said. The commissioner's remarks do not necessarily mean he will seek an investigation into soap operas or daytime television in general, the aide said.
FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell declined comment when he was asked at the summit about Mr. Copps' remarks, according to a transcript provided by his press office.
Representatives for the other FCC commissioners and ABC, CBS and NBC, all of which air soap operas, did not return telephone calls or declined comment yesterday.
The government's scrutiny of TV and radio programs has intensified since Justin Timberlake removed part of Janet Jackson's top, briefly exposing her breast, during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 1.
Since then, the FCC has announced a new round of fines against racy radio programs, and the nation's largest broadcasters have adopted tougher standards against airing material that the government deems offensive.
Legislation that dramatically would raise fines against broadcasters is moving through Congress.
Soap operas largely have escaped public criticism, although the programs have started to show more skin in recent years.
CBS representatives have denied published reports that the recent firing of "Guiding Light" producer John Conboy was linked to the new sensitivities about indecency. Mr. Conboy was dismissed in February, about a week after the show aired a scene in which a character pulled down her boyfriend's underpants, revealing his bare bottom.
The amount of sex featured on daytime serials is usually blown out of proportion, according to Lynn Leahey, editorial director of Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly, the industry's leading publications.
Most viewers watch the programs because they are interested in stories about romance and family relationships, she said.
"The bottom line is, these shows are about romance, not sex. It's always been that way; it will always be that way," Ms. Leahey said.
The nine daytime dramas draw about 30 million viewers a week, but ratings have fallen steadily in the past two decades as more women — the traditional audience for soap operas — have entered the work force. The ratings only measure household viewers and not people who watch the serials on college campuses and during their office lunch breaks.
An FCC spokesman was unable to provide the number of complaints it has received about daytime television in recent years.
A recent "Oprah Winfrey Show" installment that featured a sexually explicit discussion has generated about 700 complaints, the spokesman said, although that might be because radio host Howard Stern has been urging his listeners to complain about Miss Winfrey's show.

dawsongirl · 04-04-2004, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jenya
excretory functions

Mmmm....that sounds like fun to watch.

I sort of agree. Some of these soaps are getting a tad out of hand. But then the whole genre is kind of like that and always has been.

Sean Snow · 04-05-2004, 02:32 AM

I think this is just plain stupid -- in the first place, soaps don't feature nearly as many love scenes as they did a few years back. Many of the plots are now more violence oriented -- i.e., the mob on General Hospital and Marlena killing off half of the town of Salem on Days of Our Lives. If they're going to crack down on the sex, then they should crack down on the violence, especially on GH. There has been a lot of violence and hatred towards women on that show in the past year or so.

Incidents like the one on Guiding Light are far and few between. I'm not advocating scenes like that, but I think it's stupid about how the FCC suddenly is pouncing on everyone for things that they've been doing for years. They should've cracked down on them then instead of waiting until now.

JMO.

Dutabi84 · 04-05-2004, 02:51 AM

All because of Janet Jackson's nasty titty. Take off the soaps, I don't care. Just don't touch my Seinfeld re-runs! Hahaha.

TJL · 04-05-2004, 05:21 AM

Maybe the FCC can take a whack at Jerry Springer too.
If there is ever a show that is warping the youth of America, it's that one.

spunkygirl · 04-05-2004, 09:56 AM

Oh geesh how ridiculous, sounds like the guy who's doing this is a prude big time

I agree with the poster who said soaps aren't as bad with the sex as they are with the violence.

I guess they see it allright for men on survivor to run around with their penis' hanging out, but one little sex scene on a soap is too much

I've seen worse than that in primetime and movies

spunkygirl · 04-05-2004, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sean Snow
I think this is just plain stupid -- in the first place, soaps don't feature nearly as many love scenes as they did a few years back. Many of the plots are now more violence oriented -- i.e., the mob on General Hospital and Marlena killing off half of the town of Salem on Days of Our Lives. If they're going to crack down on the sex, then they should crack down on the violence, especially on GH. There has been a lot of violence and hatred towards women on that show in the past year or so.

Incidents like the one on Guiding Light are far and few between. I'm not advocating scenes like that, but I think it's stupid about how the FCC suddenly is pouncing on everyone for things that they've been doing for years. They should've cracked down on them then instead of waiting until now.

JMO.

EXACTLY! Well said! If they cracked down on the violence, maybe GH can go from being mobster hospital to General Hospital again

PZelda · 04-05-2004, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TJL
Maybe the FCC can take a whack at Jerry Springer too.
If there is ever a show that is warping the youth of America, it's that one.

And let's not forget Maury and Ricki Lake, although I think she's scheduled to end her show this year or next year, I'm not sure.

TOo bad Geraldo isn't on anymore

MandieR1980 · 04-05-2004, 04:41 PM

Eh I gave up on my soaps months ago

FamilyTiesGOP · 04-05-2004, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TJL
Maybe the FCC can take a whack at Jerry Springer too.
If there is ever a show that is warping the youth of America, it's that one.

Totally agree. Those kinds of trashy talk shows should be on the list of regulation ahead of soap operas. I mean does Jerry Springer have any decent shows at all? If I watch a talk show, it is Dr. Phil.

MandieR1980 · 04-05-2004, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FamilyTiesGOP
Totally agree. Those kinds of trashy talk shows should be on the list of regulation ahead of soap operas. I mean does Jerry Springer have any decent shows at all? If I watch a talk show, it is Dr. Phil.

I agree trashy talk shows are beyond dumb. Look what happened because of Jenny Jones someone's dead because of it.
I used to watch Maury but lately all his shows are about misbehaving kids and "I don't know who my baby's daddy is"

The only talk show I watch daily is Ellen's

ThomasE · 04-05-2004, 06:08 PM

People on TV don't have to take certain things to the extremes. They should be able to play within the guidelines and still get their points across.

barwars · 04-05-2004, 06:18 PM

Even though I dont watch and/or like daytime soaps....
I hate what Janet Jackson has done to censors.

barwars · 04-05-2004, 06:21 PM

Ohh yeah, I heard somewhere that Dr. Phil isnt a doctor at all.
I never liked him anyways.
But is this true??

RWCTV · 04-07-2004, 02:00 AM

Cracking down on soaps is just plain stupid.

The only "soaps" I like are parodies like "Soap", "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" or my spoof of life at my job called "As the Jewel Sparkles".

I don't watch soaps because I think they're too hoaky, yet someone else might really enjoy them. This goes to prove my point that the FCC is cracking down so that writers (under today's standards, which are too low) will eventually screw up and make the FCC a lot of money.

04-04-2004, 04:50 PM	#1
Jenya Supervisor Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: Canmore, Alberta Posts: 3,359	FCC May Crackdown on Soap Operas Next FCC May Crackdown on Soap Operas Next By Chris Baker THE WASHINGTON TIMES April 03, 2004 Soap operas have become a potential target in the Federal Communications Commission's crackdown on broadcast indecency, according to a key official who said the programs might be too "steamy" for daytime television. Michael J. Copps, the FCC commissioner who has led the agency's campaign against adult-oriented radio programs, told reporters Wednesday that the FCC should review whether soap operas violate the agency's indecency prohibitions, according to Television Week, an industry trade publication. Mr. Copps, one of two Democrats on the five-member panel, said he stumbled across a racy soap-opera scene while channel-surfing recently. "It was pretty steamy stuff for the middle of the afternoon," Mr. Copps said. Under FCC rules, over-the-air television and radio stations cannot broadcast material involving sexual and excretory functions between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., when children might tune in. The FCC does not regulate content that airs on cable and satellite television. Mr. Copps made his remarks after a National Association of Broadcasters' summit on "responsible programming." The daylong meeting was closed to the press, although Mr. Copps — one of several FCC officials who attended — met with reporters afterward. Mr. Copps could not be reached yesterday because he was traveling, an aide said. The commissioner's remarks do not necessarily mean he will seek an investigation into soap operas or daytime television in general, the aide said. FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell declined comment when he was asked at the summit about Mr. Copps' remarks, according to a transcript provided by his press office. Representatives for the other FCC commissioners and ABC, CBS and NBC, all of which air soap operas, did not return telephone calls or declined comment yesterday. The government's scrutiny of TV and radio programs has intensified since Justin Timberlake removed part of Janet Jackson's top, briefly exposing her breast, during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 1. Since then, the FCC has announced a new round of fines against racy radio programs, and the nation's largest broadcasters have adopted tougher standards against airing material that the government deems offensive. Legislation that dramatically would raise fines against broadcasters is moving through Congress. Soap operas largely have escaped public criticism, although the programs have started to show more skin in recent years. CBS representatives have denied published reports that the recent firing of "Guiding Light" producer John Conboy was linked to the new sensitivities about indecency. Mr. Conboy was dismissed in February, about a week after the show aired a scene in which a character pulled down her boyfriend's underpants, revealing his bare bottom. The amount of sex featured on daytime serials is usually blown out of proportion, according to Lynn Leahey, editorial director of Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly, the industry's leading publications. Most viewers watch the programs because they are interested in stories about romance and family relationships, she said. "The bottom line is, these shows are about romance, not sex. It's always been that way; it will always be that way," Ms. Leahey said. The nine daytime dramas draw about 30 million viewers a week, but ratings have fallen steadily in the past two decades as more women — the traditional audience for soap operas — have entered the work force. The ratings only measure household viewers and not people who watch the serials on college campuses and during their office lunch breaks. An FCC spokesman was unable to provide the number of complaints it has received about daytime television in recent years. A recent "Oprah Winfrey Show" installment that featured a sexually explicit discussion has generated about 700 complaints, the spokesman said, although that might be because radio host Howard Stern has been urging his listeners to complain about Miss Winfrey's show.
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04-05-2004, 02:32 AM	#3
Sean Snow moo Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,407	I think this is just plain stupid -- in the first place, soaps don't feature nearly as many love scenes as they did a few years back. Many of the plots are now more violence oriented -- i.e., the mob on General Hospital and Marlena killing off half of the town of Salem on Days of Our Lives. If they're going to crack down on the sex, then they should crack down on the violence, especially on GH. There has been a lot of violence and hatred towards women on that show in the past year or so. Incidents like the one on Guiding Light are far and few between. I'm not advocating scenes like that, but I think it's stupid about how the FCC suddenly is pouncing on everyone for things that they've been doing for years. They should've cracked down on them then instead of waiting until now. JMO.
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04-05-2004, 05:21 AM	#5
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	Maybe the FCC can take a whack at Jerry Springer too. If there is ever a show that is warping the youth of America, it's that one.
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04-05-2004, 04:41 PM	#9
MandieR1980 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 03, 2001 Location: East Taunton, Massachusetts Posts: 2,635	Eh I gave up on my soaps months ago
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04-05-2004, 06:08 PM	#12
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I'm all for the FCC buckling down People on TV don't have to take certain things to the extremes. They should be able to play within the guidelines and still get their points across.

04-05-2004, 02:51 AM	#4
Dutabi84 kittens must die Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 22, 2003 Location: MN/TX Posts: 11,026	All because of Janet Jackson's nasty titty. Take off the soaps, I don't care. Just don't touch my Seinfeld re-runs! Hahaha.

04-05-2004, 09:56 AM	#6
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,557	Oh geesh how ridiculous, sounds like the guy who's doing this is a prude big time I agree with the poster who said soaps aren't as bad with the sex as they are with the violence. I guess they see it allright for men on survivor to run around with their penis' hanging out, but one little sex scene on a soap is too much I've seen worse than that in primetime and movies

04-05-2004, 06:18 PM	#13
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	Even though I dont watch and/or like daytime soaps.... I hate what Janet Jackson has done to censors.

04-05-2004, 06:21 PM	#14
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	Ohh yeah, I heard somewhere that Dr. Phil isnt a doctor at all. I never liked him anyways. But is this true??

04-07-2004, 02:00 AM	#15
RWCTV Making Sense Senior Member Join Date: Sep 21, 2001 Location: Lockport, IL USA Posts: 1,138	Cracking down on soaps is just plain stupid. The only "soaps" I like are parodies like "Soap", "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" or my spoof of life at my job called "As the Jewel Sparkles". I don't watch soaps because I think they're too hoaky, yet someone else might really enjoy them. This goes to prove my point that the FCC is cracking down so that writers (under today's standards, which are too low) will eventually screw up and make the FCC a lot of money.
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