IS TV censorchip Unconstituional?

I realize that the title is slightly misleading.. so lemme explain my question.

Is it against an American's freedom of speech for someone to be persecuted for saying something on TV, if it's non-scripted or something? For example, Don Imus losing his job and Dog the Bounty Hunter getting in trouble for saying derogatory things toward blacks. If we have the freedom to say pretty much anything then why can we get in trouble for saying such things on the TV? Is there some law that you lose your right to freedom of speech in national television?

Originally posted by Blax_Hydralisk
I realize that the title is slightly misleading.. so lemme explain my question.

Is it against an American's freedom of speech for someone to be persecuted for saying something on TV, if it's non-scripted or something? For example, Don Imus losing his job and Dog the Bounty Hunter getting in trouble for saying derogatory things toward blacks. If we have the freedom to say pretty much anything then why can we get in trouble for saying such things on the TV? Is there some law that you lose your right to freedom of speech in national television?

Though Imus was on a private station it's certainly not unconstitutional to fire him for that.

Yes to what, that there is a law or that it is unconstitutional?

Originally posted by Blax_Hydralisk
Yes to what, that there is a law or that it is unconstitutional?

It is unconstitutional.

There's also a law establishing the censorship, obviously. That law is unconstitutional, too.

Originally posted by Blax_Hydralisk
I realize that the title is slightly misleading.. so lemme explain my question.

Is it against an American's freedom of speech for someone to be persecuted for saying something on TV, if it's non-scripted or something? For example, Don Imus losing his job and Dog the Bounty Hunter getting in trouble for saying derogatory things toward blacks. If we have the freedom to say pretty much anything then why can we get in trouble for saying such things on the TV? Is there some law that you lose your right to freedom of speech in national television?

Depends on the type of censorship.

The two examples you mention above are not, as they weren't actually censored, they said what they said and the powers that be -- the people who run the channels and who have the absolute right to decide what they want on their channels -- decided that they didn't want to be seen as supporters of racist comments. Again, this is well within their rights, and isn't really censorship.

Things like the FCC, however, are unconstitutional, imo, because they are actually taking choice away from the people who own the channels and who SHOULD have the right to decide what goes on their channels. As opposed to some authoritative third party who is deciding for them.

That said, personally I don't like any of these examples, I'd much prefer if they would simply just allow anything/everything (legal) to go on TV and let the viewers decide what they want to watch.

Ah. Thank you for your input. Please come back again.

Originally posted by Blax_Hydralisk
I realize that the title is slightly misleading.. so lemme explain my question.

Is it against an American's freedom of speech for someone to be persecuted for saying something on TV, if it's non-scripted or something? For example, Don Imus losing his job and Dog the Bounty Hunter getting in trouble for saying derogatory things toward blacks. If we have the freedom to say pretty much anything then why can we get in trouble for saying such things on the TV? Is there some law that you lose your right to freedom of speech in national television?

No. Private employer has a right to do business and make money and fire their employees for causing problems that inhibits their making of money.

Originally posted by Blax_Hydralisk
I realize that the title is slightly misleading.. so lemme explain my question.

Is it against an American's freedom of speech for someone to be persecuted for saying something on TV, if it's non-scripted or something? For example, Don Imus losing his job and Dog the Bounty Hunter getting in trouble for saying derogatory things toward blacks. If we have the freedom to say pretty much anything then why can we get in trouble for saying such things on the TV? Is there some law that you lose your right to freedom of speech in national television?

Government enforced censorship is completely unconstitutional. Businesses do have the right to fire people who act contrary to their interests and they do have the right to enforce their own standards of decency.

People should get in trouble for saying stupid things on TV (as those who disagree have the right to voice their opinions as well) but they should not be censored for it.

I don't think it's unconstitutional, in theory.

I think the idea is that most people want there to be regulations and that's why they exist. But, the problem comes when you consider there are 300 million different opinions on the subject.

What is needed in this country is a better way for its citizens to have input on this and any number of other issues.

Originally posted by Devil King
I don't think it's unconstitutional, in theory.

I think the idea is that most people want there to be regulations and that's why they exist. But, the problem comes when you consider there are 300 million different opinions on the subject.

What is needed in this country is a better way for its citizens to have input on this and any number of other issues.

There are certain rights granted by the constitution that even a majority of people can not regulate. Freedom of Speech being one of them. And since you can always change the channel, TV censorship is without a doubt unconstitutional.

Originally posted by Bardock42
I believe it is very unconstitutional in theory. The FCC seems to have no basis in anything I read in the US constitution. In fact it seems to go against it in parts.

There are certain rights granted by the constitution that even a majority of people can not regulate. Freedom of Speech being one of them. And since you can always change the channel, TV censorship is without a doubt unconstitutional.

A lot of our government has no basis in the constitution. This is why public opinion is supposed to matter.

I'm against all forms of censorship basically so yeah, this for me is definitely unconstitutional.

The whole freedom of speech thing is a bit of a tricky subject. The main point against it is that in-sighting hatred is against the law and given public stand, such as television, in-sighting something can be very easy (or so people claim).

But also remember that these people are not being arrested, or dealt with in a fashion that would be associated with incriminating behaviour. I could call my boss a **** tomorrow, I'm fairly sure I'd lose my job.

Originally posted by Devil King
A lot of our government has no basis in the constitution. This is why public opinion is supposed to matter.

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
The whole freedom of speech thing is a bit of a tricky subject. The main point against it is that in-sighting hatred is against the law and given public stand, such as television, in-sighting something can be very easy (or so people claim).

But also remember that these people are not being arrested, or dealt with in a fashion that would be associated with incriminating behaviour. I could call my boss a **** tomorrow, I'm fairly sure I'd lose my job.

Personally I feel that law should be stricken from the record. If a person on a television station, radio station, whichever medium the statements are made on do not represent or reflect the feelings of such a medium then they have the right to fire him if the owner sees fit. Also, I agree that they shouldn't be treated with criminal indictment.

Originally posted by Kram3r
Personally I feel that law should be stricken from the record. If a person on a television station, radio station, whichever medium the statements are made on do not represent or reflect the feelings of such a medium then they have the right to fire him if the owner sees fit. Also, I agree that they shouldn't be treated with criminal indictment.

Yeah, I agree.

On a social level, I agree. I want totally uncensored television, it's my descision to watch what ever I want, or what my kids watch. But the majority of people would want there to be censorship, but that really boils down to a matter of public opinion. They want censorship because they can't take responsability for raising their own children. But, that's what the public wants, so that's what they've gotten.

So, we have commercials and censorship and tv ratings plastered all over our television screens. Even on the channels like HBO and Showtime we have TV ratings. (Although it can be helpful when they tell you a movie has nudity, I just might watch it then.) I just hate that you have to pay more for uncensored television. THAT's a crime.

If we fail to understand this is what people want, then our only recourse is to either follow the money or buy into the conspiracy theories.

Originally posted by Devil King
On a social level, I agree. I want totally uncensored television, it's my descision to watch what ever I want, or what my kids watch. But the majority of people would want there to be censorship, but that really boils down to a matter of public opinion. They want censorship because they can't take responsability for raising their own children. But, that's what the public wants, so that's what they've gotten.

They shouldn't.That's what the constitution is for. To protect the minority from that sort of bullshit. But since your politicians nowadays feel the need to urinate on individual rights it makes sense I suppose.

Originally posted by Devil King
So, we have commercials and censorship and tv ratings plastered all over our television screens. Even on the channels like HBO and Showtime we have TV ratings. (Although it can be helpful when they tell you a movie has nudity, I just might watch it then.) I just hate that you have to pay more for uncensored television. THAT's a crime.

Well, actually the thing is that there is a niche for uncencored television now, that's why you have to pay. Ratings are a good thing a TV station can do for their viewers, it should not be imposed.

Originally posted by Devil King
If we fail to understand this is what people want, then our only recourse is to either follow the money or buy into the conspiracy theories.

I don't ****ing care what the people want. A dictarorship of the majority is still a dictatorship.

Originally posted by Bardock42

I don't ****ing care what the people want. A dictarorship of the majority is still a dictatorship.

You do realize you just defined democracy right?

Originally posted by Bardock42
I don't ****ing care what the people want. A dictarorship of the majority is still a dictatorship.

I have never denied that. This is why I have always disagreed with people when they call the US a democracy. What peopl eneed to do is look up the difference between a democracy and a Republic. But they don't. So we get what we want, and what we want is censorship.

No doubt there is a market for pay television, but to get that market to realize why they want it is another matter.