Jim Sharkey wrote:
> To me, when the Federal Communications Commission fines Howard
> Stern $1.5 million because of something he says, it's
> censorship, right or wrong. When an advertiser threatens to
> drop a show or a group puts pressure on its creators because
> of a gay character being in it, that's *not* censorship. If
> you wish to call it "shadow censorship," you may, but I don't
> think of it that way.
Censorship is suppression of material that the censor finds
objectionable. If a commercial entity knows that it can intimidate
a television network into not broadcasting something it doesn't want
them to, that is suppression. And I think it is more odious than
the governmental kind because at least you can challenge government
censorship in court.
What is the difference between an economic sanction issued by the
FCC and an economic sanction issued by a commercial entity that
threatens to withhold its business?
--
Doug
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.zo.com/~brighto
