Legislation would correct court ruling allowing profanity on TV

Contact: Valerie Mosher, Concerned Women for America, 202-488-7000 ext. 125

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 /Standard Newswire/ -- Representative Chip Pickering (R-Mississippi) introduced the Protecting Children from Indecent Programming Act today to restore authority to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to determine broadcast decency standards when children are most likely to be watching television.  Recently, the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals overrode parents and decided that children are not harmed or influenced negatively by television programs airing the "F-word" or the "S-word".  Rather than allowing the FCC to do its job by enforcing the law, the court legislated against the express will of the people by ruling that indecency on television is appropriate for children.

"Broadcasters seem intent on making parents' job of protecting their children's innocence nearly impossible.  This bill will help restore parents' ability to provide wholesome entertainment without indecent material invading their living room through the TV," stated Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America (CWA).

CWA Director of Legislation and Public Policy, Shari Rendall, said, "It is imperative that we uphold standards of decency in our society, particularly when it comes to our children.  An activist court does not have the right to strip decency standards from broadcasting, particularly when the standards are overwhelmingly supported by American families.

"Indecent broadcasters and the Second Circuit Court have no business determining what is appropriate for children.  Parents are the first defense against indecency.  The FCC has a responsibility to aid parents by policing obscene images and indecent language.  The least that broadcasters can do for American families is respect parents."

Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.