more on hello from Beijing

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tracey Steele <lazarusl () sbcglobal net>
Date: February 14, 2006 1:29:48 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] hello from Beijing

How can you compare censorship -- imposed by the government of China  
-- to using editing to block language many viewers find offensive?  
While the FCC does have obscenity standards -- of questionable  
validity -- I don't agree with the comparison to limiting political  
speech. Also -- much of the *beeping* out of words is done not to  
comply with the FCC, but because it's believed viewers will change  
channels if they hear offensive language.

As for a 5 second delay on the news... that's pretty funny. I've been  
in the business for 13 years, and I assure you, the last thing we  
need is a button someone could accidentally push to make us go to  
black, or go silent. We do that very well on our own, thank you very  
much.

Just because everyone knows the state of affairs in China is -- live  
with censorship, or you can't make money in China -- doesn't make it  
right or acceptable. However, the CNN story may be the best example  
of why getting a tiny toehold is a way to 'tear down that  
firewall'... They edit out the word censorship, but it doesn't take  
too much detective work to figure out what the reporter said..

Tracey

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