From Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council comes this encouraging report...
President Bush last month signed the Broadcast Communications Decency Enforcement Act. I attended that signing ceremony. And guess what--it's already working. That law increased by 10 times the fines for use of indecent language on your public airwaves. Now, each infraction can cost the guilty broadcaster $325,000. As a result, broadcasters are rushing to buy time-delay machines that enable them to "bleep" offensive language. Some are re-writing their contracts with their on-air talent to make it clear that the shock jocks will personally pay the fines if they go over the line. Some comedians and other entertainers are even taking out insurance policies to cover them if they fail to clean up their acts.
The Washington Post reports on comedian Ralphie May. May's potty mouth costs him $22,000 a year for his $1 million policy. Now we may see insurers less willing to serve as what May calls "a big shield" for smutty performers. The Washington Post and other liberal news outlets have been worrying editorially about the "chilling effect" of such stricter enforcement of decency laws. Maybe the chill will encourage Janet Jackson and other to keep their exposed body part in a warmer, covered place.
