FCC: Satellite Radio Remains Free of Indecency Rules

The FCC still considers satellite radio to be exempt from broadcast indecency rules, and isn’t moving to change that.
In a letter from FCC Media Bureau Chief to Saul Levine, president of Mt. Wilson FM Broadcasters in Los Angeles, Ferree reiterates the commission’s previous rulings that, “subscription-based services do not call into play the issue of indecency,” and, “the commission does not impose regulations regarding indecency on services lacking the indiscriminate access to children that characterizes broadcasting.”
Ferree stated there was no basis on which to revisit this decision.
This theme follows comments the chairman made recently in an opinion piece written for the New York Times. In that piece, Chairman Michael Powell made it clear the Supreme Court affords media other than broadcasting stronger constitutional protections.
Levine had petitioned the commission in October, asking the agency to begin a rulemaking to change the satellite radio rules and include an indecency provision.