HOUSE AND SENATE FIGHT FOR WITNESSES FOR BROADCAST DECENCY HEARINGS
Thu Feb 05 2004 22:26:24 ET
House and Senate Committees are competing for witnesses for next week's simultaneous hearings Feb. 11 on broadcast content. The House Telecom Subcommittee, which will hold its 2nd hearing of the year on indecency, appears close to getting witnesses who relate more directly to the Janet Jackson flap. House sources told us the Subcommittee was close to getting Viacom Pres. Mel Karmazin and NFL Comr. Paul Tagliabue. All 5 FCC commissioners are expected to testify at both hearings, Communications Daily reports on Friday.
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While both hearings focus on broadcast content, they appear to be taking somewhat different angles. The House Telecom Subcommittee will focus primarily on legislation (HR- 3717) by Subcommittee Chmn. Upton (R-Mich.) that would raise the maximum FCC fines for indecency violations. It's the Subcommittee's 2nd hearing this session on broadcast indecency; the first was Jan. 28 (CD Jan 29 p4). This hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11, 9:30 a.m., Rm. 2123, Rayburn Bldg.
Viacom, owner of CBS and MTV, should bear a heavier burden than its 200-plus affiliates as a result of allegations CBS aired indecent content during the Super Bowl half-time show, several attorneys said.
FCC Chmn. Powell, who's spearheading investigation of the broadcast, could consider Viacom a repeat offender, suggested attorney Frank Jazzo. Jazzo referred to the case against Viacom-owned Infinity Bcstg. for broadcasting an Opie & Anthony show where the hosts conducted a contest encouraging listeners to have sex in unusual places. WKRK- FM, also Viacom-owned, was fined for airing a 20-min. show discussing explicit sexual acts.
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