Supreme Court ruling outlaws broadcast expletive outbursts

[babsbunny]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2009-04-28-scotus-fcc-expletives_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno


By Joan Biskupic, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court Tuesday upheld a federal prohibition on the one-time use of expletives in a case arising partly from an expletive uttered by Cher at a Billboard Music Awards show in 2002.

The ruling, by a 5-4 vote and written by Justice Antonin Scalia, endorsed a Bush administration Federal Communications Commission policy against isolated outbursts of, as Scalia said from the bench, the "f-word" and "s-word."

[Eric J in MN]

1. The ruling is bad for viewers. It means less truly live TV and radio,

...and more 10 second delay to beep stuff out.

The 1978 George Carlin case was against repeated use of expletives.

This ruling further restricts free speech.

[niyad]

2. with all the serious issues at hand, THIS is what scotus is spending its time on?

[Eric J in MN]

3. The Supreme Court should spend time ruling on First Amendment issues.

I just wish they had ruled the other way on this one.

[DeepBlueC]

4. Oh shit!

The Grammys have bee no fun since that 7 second delay. Where's that freedom of speech thing?