FCC responds to indecency ruling

Commissioners Kevin Martin (chairman) and Michael Copps aren't happy about today's court action. "I find it hard to believe that the New York court would tell American families that 'shit' and 'fuck' are fine to say on broadcast television during the hours when children are most likely to be in the audience," Martin said in a statement. Copps warned that any broadcaster "who sees this decision as a green light to send more gratuitous sex and violence into our homes would be making a huge mistake."

Court throws out indecency action

In potential tide-turning win for broadcasters, a federal appeals court in New York threw out FCC profanity rulings against Fox and ordered the commission to provide better justification for its controversial "fleeting expletives" policy, Broadcasting & Cable reports (PDF of ruling here). The decision was narrow in focus but casts broader doubt on the legal sustainability of the FCC's holding that "fuck," "shit" and their derivatives are presumptively indecent, regardless of context. The commissioners first staked out that position in the 2004 Bono decision, which, coupled with Congress' later ten-fold fine level hike, left broadcasters more skittish than ever about airing edgy content (related story and timeline).

Faith Salie: not your typical pubradio host

Faith Salie's quick humor and willingness to express astonishment Valley-Girl style ('Oh my God!') gives Fair Game a "loosey-goosey" unpublic radio sensibility, according to the New York Times.

New HQ, expansion plans for Youth Radio

Youth Radio's recent move into new headquarters allows the organization to pursue plans to expand its media training program and production output, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.