Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

Fritts: Solving Indecency ‘Long-Term’ Issue

Fritts: Solving Indecency 'Long-Term' Issue

NAB President/CEO Eddie Fritts called the trade association’s summit on responsible programming historic and constructive. He told reporters, who were not allowed in the room for the discussions, that the talks were not all one-way discussions, but rather attendees offered several ideas to combat indecency.
Several broadcasters and panelists discussed bringing cable and satellite TV and radio into the debate, Fritts said.
Among ideas discussed were a voluntary programming code, zero tolerance policies and lists of best practices, he said. These options and others will be forwarded to the NAB executive committee for more discussions at the spring show.
Broadcasters “expected NAB leadership to take us to the next step” and will have further “discussions either formally or informally, Fritts said.
The summit was an information-gathering meeting, he said. “I don’t think anyone came out of here expecting an imperative.” Broadcasters’ response to the indecency issue is “not something that’s going to be resolved in 30 days or 60 days. It will be long-term.”
Asked about the likelihood how of bringing back the programming code, NAB Legal EVP Marsha MacBride said, “We have options we didn’t have in the ’70s when the old code was struck down by the court, such as the V-Chip.”
She said discussion of the old code is just a starting point and does not indicate expectations it may be revived in some form.

Close