Alright, it was about 1:00 AM last night when I flip to Comedy Central and BAM!!! South Park Bigger, Longer, and Uncut is on. So I watch it for a few minutes to see how exactly they would edit the show but it wasn't. In fact, it was COMPLETELY UNEDITED! How are they able to do this especially since the FCC is cracking down on this stuff (needlessly I might add) ever since the Janet Jackson fiasco?
Comedy Central has shown the South Park movie after midnight completely unedited about three or four times now. I don't know how they do it.
I dunno... but honestly, who ever said that censors had to treat basic cable like network TV? We do pay for cable as well... just like people pay for premium channels that are allowed to show that stuff, yet its become so mainstream that people see stuff on cable and assume that everybody else is watching it too (including myself... this is the first time i've really thought about this). They can't... unless they're paying for it. If anything, premium channels should allow less commercials, and be allowed to show ANYTHING of their choosing (which they do), wheras basic cable should also get some leeway that separates them from local network TV... still be allowed to show commercials, but also have the late-night flexibility with things like language, violence, and all the other stuff that network TV can never show. BTW... ESPN got away with this last year when they showed an R-rated version of the Bobby Knight story, starring Brian Dennehy... with no commercials.
From the FCC website: Indecent Broadcast Restrictions The FCC has defined broadcast indecency as "language or material that, in context, depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community broadcast standards for the broadcast medium, sexual or excretory organs or activities." Indecent programming contains patently offensive sexual or excretory references that do not rise to the level of obscenity. Indecent programming may, however, be restricted in order to avoid its broadcast during times of the day when there is a reasonable risk that children may be in the audience. Consistent with a federal statute and federal court decisions interpreting the indecency statute, the Commission adopted a rule pursuant to which broadcasts -- both on television and radio -- that fit within the indecency definition and that are aired between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. are subject to indecency enforcement action. Also: Indecency and obscenity. Generally, the rules concerning the content of programming on cable channels are not as strict as the rules concerning programming content on non-cable channels. If you object to programming on a cable system, you may contact the FCC to determine what rules may be applicable and what action may be appropriate.
I thought cable was pretty much allowed to get away with anything (since its a paid service) but ultimately chooses not too in order to maintain appeal for marketing and commercial advertising profit...
Well, there are certain things that are always illegal no matter the forum. Obscenity, for example (as legally defined... or vaguely defined, as it were). I was under the impression that cable channels had free reign when it came to profanity and indecency, as well, though.
They can show South Park unedited but they can't show Eddie Murphy Raw unedited It loses all meaning.
BBC America has been running a Canadian show called Trailer Park Boys (really funny, btw) and, while they bleep out the F-bombs they don't bleep out anything else. Once again, if it's not over the public airwaves I think you can do what you want. Most cable stations choose to censor themselves because they know that advertisors don't want to be associated with controversial material (most of the time).
S words weren't bleeped out. I specifically remember the whole Richard Pryor can do a bit on s****. He must have been saying s ten times a minute unedited. The F words were bleeped out. If you watch Spike TV Wed, they will also show an edited version of the GodFather II. They aired the GodFather I this past Wed unedited.
Yeah, but were they still saying the F word on Southpark? I don't see why they would have done anything different.
Well I think they only edited out the use of the word F*** when it was used to describe sex and I don't remember if they edited it out when he said F*** you.
