ABC Fined for 2003 Episode of NYPD Blue

"Ohhhh! Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children!?" --Helen Lovejoy, The Simpsons

We are a ridiculous, stupid country sometimes. First, that it would take five years for this to be decided. Second, that a single episode of NYPD Blue would cause a fuss when almost every episode featured partial nudity. And third, that this is even an issue in the first place! A woman's naked butt and the side of her boob are "indecent?" Why???

In this age of cable TV and high-speed internet, these "broadcast television" standards are patently ridiculous, archaic nonsense. Who are we protecting, and what are we protecting them from? Listen, you over-protective, spastic parents: I grew up in the 70s, when computers and cable TV were in their infancy. From the age of ten or so, on up, my friends and I managed to find pictures of naked people. Whether it was digging through Grandpa's closet to find a Playboy magazine, or sneaking a look at a nudie calendar at the auto shop, we found a way. Kids will do that. And shutting down terrestrial broadcasts as an outlet for "indecency" will not stop them.

And by the way, 95% of kids never watched NYPD Blue in the first place.

[Excerpt]

ABC Faces Indecency Fine For 2003 'NYPD Blue' Episode

The Federal Communications Commission yesterday proposed a $1.43 million indecency fine against ABC television stations for a 2003 episode of "NYPD Blue," the second-largest proposed indecency fine against a television broadcaster ever.

The agency proposed a $27,500 fine against 52 ABC-owned and affiliate stations in the Central and Mountain time zones, which broadcast the episode before 10 p.m., when the FCC's authority to police the airwaves for indecency expires each day. . .

Read more at: Washington Post

Hat tip to Rich, the soon-to-be ex-house-mate for the story. Happy trails, Rich!