"Lock the doors and close the blinds -- we're going for a ride..."

Just saw this story (and a number of variations):

FCC fines ABC over 'NYPD Blue'; network to appeal

LOS ANGELES, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission on Friday said it plans to fine the Walt Disney Co's ABC network $1.4 million for airing an episode of "NYPD Blue" in 2003 that showed a woman's nude buttocks.

The company said it opposes the fine and plans to appeal.

In a notice filed on Friday, the agency said 52 television ABC stations in the Central and Mountain time zones had aired the scene at 9 p.m. in violation of federal restrictions against broadcasting "obscene material" between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The agency said it received "numerous complaints" about the scene, in which a young boy walks in on a nude woman about to take a shower.

See http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USN2530635020080126 for the story in full.

A couple of things came to mind:

* This is a complaint for a show which aired close to five years ago? A show which aired before the whole Janet Jackson incident with the Superbowl?  Nice job, FCC. Way to strike while the iron is hot...

* NYPD Blue had been known for its racy rear shots for years at this point.  The reason this one was singled out, apparently, was because of the "young boy" who walked in.  I didn't watch the episode, but there were no sexual connotations involving the young boy.  The subplot involved the trials and tribulations of a single parent dating while trying to raise a kid. We're also not talking about an extended camera shot here -- it was over in a flash.

* If you're watching NYPD Blue (which, during 2003, used the mandatory TV ratings system -- which meant it could easily be blocked by televisions with the V-Chip installed (which was installed in all TVs for years at that point), you pretty much knew what you were getting into.  If not, the disclaimer at the beginning advising viewer discretion should have helped steer potentially offended people away.  But let's say that someone accidentally stumbled upon that episode of NYPD Blue by chance without the faintest idea what would appear. A buttock! Oh no! Is it really that offensive? Personally, I have two of them.  I simply don't see what the big deal is.

* No. I do see precisely what the big deal is.  Groups like Donald Wildmon's American Family Association instructs its members to blindly send copies of form letters to the FCC en masse to purify the airwaves of certain things they find objectionable.  And the FCC caves to that pressure. And why not? It's giving some of the people what they want while gaining revenue.  Who could argue with that?

Well, ABC is arguing with that. They are appealing the fine and will likely settle for a smaller amount. Not that I have any pity for ABC/Disney which is doing fine economically compared to much of the nation. But still -- this shouldn't be something the FCC should bring up five years after the fact to drum up Republican coffieurs.

Oh -- and one more thing:

* What's more offensive -- someone's bare butt before she steps into the shower, or the droves of people shot in the head by Jack Bauer or any of the other characters on "24?" Where the FUCK has the AFA and the FCC been to combat the violence that apparently has been acceptable while they've been allegedly attempting to "protect the children" from anatomy that all of them have?

Thanks, FCC. Thanks for keeping those airwaves safe.