FC: A Kiwi's view on FCC investigating Victoria's Secret TV show

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Previous Politech message:

"Free expression update: Victoria's Secret, libraries, Safeweb"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-02820.html

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From: Steve Withers <swithers () mmp org nz>
To: declan () well com
Subject: Re: FC: Free expression update: Victoria's Secret, libraries, Safeweb
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 19:46:22 +1300

On Wed, 21 Nov 2001 17:31, you wrote:

>     WASHINGTON (The Hollywood Reporter) --- ABC's airing of "The
>     Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" is likely to cause the network
> more than a little discomfort as the federal government has received
> dozens of complaints that the G-string-laced show and its related
> promotions violate broadcast indecency rules.
>     FCC (news - web sites) commissioner Michael Copps told reporters
>     Friday that he has received 50 e-mails from different parts of
> the country complaining about the racy show and its promotions. One
> of the complaints was of a more personal nature -- Copps' 27-year-old
> daughter had a complaint about the show.
>     "She saw it and was upset," Copps said. "She's a new mother, and
> when her child gets (to a) TV age, he should see wholesome
> programming." He said he was forwarding the complaints to the FCC's
> Enforcement Bureau and asking it to investigate whether it violated
> indecency regulations.

This has to be a joke.

We get Fashion TV from Paris on our cable service here in New Zealand
and they play this stuff around the clock....along with fashion parades
that include lots of naked male and female breasts.

On New Zealand TV, grow-up TV programming starts after
08:30pm....fronted by warning about violence, nudity or both.

They figure any younger child should be in bed by 08:30.

Did I mention the brothel ads on TV4 and TV 2 after 1am? Complete with
film clips. Or maybe gay sex clubs would be more interesting viewing?

The US is SO prissy!!!!

Steve Withers

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From: Steve Withers <swithers () mmp org nz>
To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Subject: Re: FC: Free expression update: Victoria's Secret, libraries,  Safeweb
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 21:39:56 +1300

If you like, I can capture a couple of minutes or so of various ads as
a real media file or mpeg and send it you.  It would be fairly small
(under 5mb)....but you would get the feel of what it's all about. :-)

Just to expand on it slightly, the channel is owned by Can-West
Global...a Canadian TV company.

This is a free-to-air channel that anyone with a TV can pick up.

After 1am, they do a kind of "Talkback" TV with a "DJ" who talks about
whatever while the ads play. The ads are mostly slides for "Tiffany's"
or "The Cigar bar" or one of several other brothels in Auckland or
Wellington. The "DJ" will phone up the brothels and ask how business
is, how many girls they have on tonight....what sort of services they
offer.....and so on. The "madams" make every effort to get people on
down there right now for a relaxing, enjoyable hour with one of their
beautiful girls.....and so on. :-)

There is no actual programming other than all these ads.

 Some of the borthel ads are film clips of attractive women fondling
their breasts and looking into the camera with "come get me" eyes.....

Other ads are for various gay mens's clubs. One in Wellington and one
in Auckland. They advertise their maze (anonymous sex in the dark
through holes in the wall) and other services. They don't serve alcohol.

Other ads are for freelance hookers.....like "Call Amy on 021-555-555
for a good time. All inclusive $80 for half hour"....and so on.

Still other ads are for pay phone-sex....usually for extortionate
prices.

Most of these ads feature nudity.....and some clearly feature female
masturbation.

Other ads offer secrets on how to find free porn on the Internet.

There are also ads for a series of videos about fellatio, cunnilingus
and various other sexual practices......which are *suggested* in the
ads, but not actually shown beyond the fondling of various body parts.

The borthel ads and chat end at 5am when the car sale ads start. If you
want to sell you old car, you can send them a picture and they'll put
it on te tube for you along with your phone number. :-)

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