The number of consumer complaints about broadcast indecency, as well as interference, is dropping.
The FCC received 336 indecency/obscenity complaints in the fourth quarter of 2013. That compares to 298 for the same period a year ago.
Looking at total year, the commission received 1,520 indecency/obscenity complaints for 2013 and 2,181 in 2012, according to Radio World’s analysis of commission data.
Indecency/obscenity make up a sliver of the 4,329 total number of overall programming complaints for 2013 on issues like contests and lotteries or freedom of speech or false information. The agency received 1,133 complaints related to pirate radio or children’s television and 3,196 complaints related to issues like loud commercials, violence or scheduling changes.
The number of complaints about interference from nearby broadcast transmitters to home electronics equipment in Q4 2013 was 163; it was 179 for the same period a year ago.
Looking at total year, the commission received 703 broadcast interference complaints for 2013 and 761 in 2012.