F-Bombs OK? FCC Asks If It Should Ease Swearing, Nudity Ban

Should the Federal Communications Commission lighten up on enforcing its ban on swear words and nudity on broadcast media?

The agency has proposed doing just that—letting "fleeting" violations slide and enforcing its rules only for "eggregious" offenses.

The FCC invited comments for 60 days on the enforcement change in an April 1, 2013 announcement (click on PDF thumnail).

Judy Remer of Shakopee submitted this comment to the FCC on April 8:

I oppose relaxing the current FCC indecency standards regarding expletives and nudity. If anything, I believe they should be stricter specifically the time of the day any of the current expletives, inuendosand nudity are already shown. Some of the current shows presently have things that are not age appropriate during the day and early evening. There are other channels that allow this now and if adults want to watch them they can, or they can block them from their children or grandchildren. If we have to block all channels or expect this to be on any channel, I guess our only option then is to get rid of our television.

Comments submitted to the FCC are public. You can see them by searching a comment database at the FCC website.

The Minnesota Family Council sent an email April 9 (click on PDF thumbnail) asking people to submit comments such as: "I oppose any changes to the current FCC indecency standards that would allow television and radio stations to broadcast expletives and nudity on the public airwaves, even if brief or 'fleeting.'”

Would you like the FCC to ease its enforcement of indecency rules on TV and radio broadcasters? Leave a comment below.

Click on the YouTube thumbnail (or visit YouTube.com) for an example of the "fleeting expletives" behind the U.S. Supreme Court case cited by the FCC. It's Cher at the 2002 Billboard Music Awards (6:00 mark—profanity warning).