Another Update: On the PBS NewsHour Friday: "Terence Smith speaks with Karen Everhart of Current newspaper about the persistent controversies plaguing PBS and Mitchell's decision to leave.
Visit pbs.org/newshour/media after 9p.m. Eastern time for more information on this segment."
I had planned to write Monday about the next two Frontline documentaries which both focus on the military in Iraq: A Company of Soliders which follows the 8th Cavalry's Dog Company airs on Tuesday, February 22nd. A Soldier's Heart which looks at the mental impact of the war airs a week later on March 1st (as well as previous excellent shows including Truth, War, and Consequences and Rumsfeld's War) . And I still will.
But PBS has decided to send a version of A Company of Soldiers censoring the language of the soldiers on the hard feed (an uncensored version will be available on a soft feed). Frontline issued a statement today (which is in full below) saying they believe "this is the moment for public television to stand firm and broadcast 'A Company of Soldiers' intact, as it was intended. We believe what is at issue is not the particulars of this case, but the principle of editorial independence. Because overreaching by the FCC is at its heart a First Amendment issue, all programs are at risk, whether art, science, history, culture, or public affairs." A Soldier's Heart has similar language, so I imagine PBS will do the same thing (unless there is enough of an uproar).
I wrote about the impact of the FCC crackdown in POV's broadcast of Wattstax marred by bleeps (which has a bunch of links) last September on TVBarn and Blogcritics last September. If the bill passed by Congress becomes law without any provision for smaller fines for public broadcasting, it will have an even more chilling effect.
I watched the beginning of A Company of Soldiers and the language is completely appropriate. It would be distracting to have bleeps while soldiers are being attacked. I hope most PBS stations will respect the soldiers and their audience and use the uncensored soft feed. At the very least, they should run the uncensored version late at night, so people can record it.
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Article comments
1 - Roger Asbury
I hope the version aired locally here in Fairbanks, Alaska is the uncensored version. The FCC has seriously gone over the edge.
I will have to call the station and voice my support of the uncensored report!
2 - SFC SKI
There was a time were PBS was really daring, it is a shame that censorship could diminish the impact of a documetary like that described above.
So, what's the difference between soldiers cursing and the middle of a firefight, and Howard Stern's pottymouth, or Tarantino's gratuitous profanity, ( And I say this as a Tarantino fan)? Well, the first example is real life, unscripted, the latter examples are of people trying to "keep it real" by reading from a script. I hope I get to see the unedited broadcast.
3 - Dave Nalle
This whole issue of language ought to be handled with the TV-Rating system. Put a TV-MA notice at the start of the show and keep the cursing in. That's the right way to do it.
BTW, wasn't Powell supposed to be on the way out at the FCC with someone replacing him?
Dave
4 - SFC SKI
The upcoming documentary "Gunner Palace" is fighting an R for language, which is a shame, but a necessary fight. At an advance screening, an officer brought up the subject of the language and its effect on the audience,, but I really can't imaging bleeping out any part of the soundtrack.
My kids are too young to see either of these documentaries, but I will buy copies in case they want to see a piece of history later, warts and all.
5 - Steve Rhodes
Powell will quiting the FCC. So far, Bush hasn't named anyone to replace him. Though one leading candidate, Kevin Martin, is even more hardcore on language than Powell.
It is a good idea to contact you local station. I updated this with info on what some stations are doing.
I don't think Frontline is rated because it is a news program, but they always run an advisory before a program runs with language, violence, or sexual material.
Besides, despite all the uproar on the right, very few people use the v-chip or ratings.