Jessica Marventano, senior VP of Clear Channel Communications, urged senators not to adopt certain provisions in the House indecency measure.
She called them “disproportionate punishment” for violating indecency rules, such as blocking new license applications, transfers or possible license revocation. The company urged lawmakers to consider the provisions raising the fines for broadcast indecency.
“I can assure you, for Clear Channel, a 10-fold fine increase is not business as usual,” Marventano said.
Alan Wurtzel of Research and Media Development at NBC said congressional attempts to enable the FCC to affect station licenses for indecency violations “would have an enormous chilling effect, but also a depressing effect on the entire broadcast industry.”
Representatives from citizen advocacy groups argued that current punishments are ineffective, as is self-regulation, which some broadcasters, cable and satellite companies advocate.
Clear Channel to Senators: Ten-fold Fine Increase Is Not ‘Business as Usual’
Clear Channel to Senators: Ten-fold Fine Increase Is Not ‘Business as Usual’
