Re: Jackass,Viacom&CBS

["Dan Billings" <dib9@gwi.net>]

Joe writes:

> I have only tried to introduce the term "responsibility" into the
> discussion...and look at the wide range of extreme responses it evokes.
>
> For some reason that word scares you to death.

What scares me about the word is that if you accept that broadcasters have
to meet someone else's standard of "responsibility," there can be legal
consequences for not meeting that definition, i.e. law suits, loss of
licenses, etc.

Using market power to encourage broadcasters to change programming, through
listener or advertiser boycotts is one thing, but trying to use the courts
to do that is another matter.

I wrote:
> > If you are getting the largest market share possible, you must be using
> the airwaves responsibly...

Joe responded:
> Can I quote you on that?
>
> Largest shares = largest profits = responsibility?

Feel free to quote me.  I have confidence in the general public and do not
believe a truly irresponsible broadcaster will succeed in gaining a large
audience for more than a short period of time.  Of course, I do not think it
is irresponsible for a broadcaster to decide to just be in the entertainment
business and to leave news and public affairs to someone else.
Entertainment can be in the public interest.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine