MyDD :: Controversy

Controversy

by Chris Bowers, Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 11:49:22 AM EST

Remember the bill before the state legislature of Ohio intended to regulate academia? Here is one section, emphasis mine:

(C) Faculty and instructors shall not infringe the academic freedom and quality of education of their students by persistently introducing controversial matter into the classroom or coursework that has no relation to their subject of study and that serves no legitimate pedagogical purpose.

Now, take a look at this (again, emphasis mine):

An advocacy group, USAction, said on Monday that four television networks had turned down its request to run an advertisement opposing President Bush's effort to clamp down on medical malpractice lawsuits.

The group wanted to run the spots just before Mr. Bush's State of the Union address on Wednesday. But networks said the advertisement violated their standards for advertising on controversial issues.

The NBC Universal Television Network, owned by General Electric, told the group, "We are sorry that we cannot accept your ad based on our network policy regarding controversial issue advertising."

As a general rule, the policy says, "time will not be sold on NBC Network facilities for the presentation of views on controversial issues." The policy does not apply to candidates for public office in election years.

ABC, CBS and the Fox Broadcasting Company said they had also turned down the advertisement.

I asked before who would define "controversial subject matter." Well, it is becoming pretty obvious that the word is becoming the main talking point used by conservatives when they aim to censor progressives. Progressive scholarship is too controversial, so it must be made illegal. Progressive advertisements criticizing Bush are too controversial, so they will not be run. I wonder what will be too controversial next.

Tags: Media (all tags)

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Controversy does have Pedagocical Value (none / 0)

As a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin I had the opportunity to teach undergrads who had come from all over the state. For many of them Austin was the biggest city they'd ever been in and certainly the most liberal. Occasionally I had students who balked at what they were asked to read or productions they were asked to see (I taught theatre), particularly if the subject matter dealt with homosexuality or religion.

My response to them, was that they did not have to agree with the positions put forth or like them or be entertained by them. But part of the university experience is coming in contact with ideas that are foreign to you and that you disagree with. Your develop your own intellectual rigor and maturity, by having to explain your positions and debate ideas.

Sometimes this got through to them and sometimes it didn't.

by brookeb on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 12:43:58 PM EST

Anything by Chris Bowers (none / 0)

I heard a rumor the next bill will be about censoring you Chris. They will install a chip in your head and it will change anything controversial (IE Facts that contradict the "truth" that comes from GWB and other such liberal rantings) you say or write into GOP propaganda. BE WARNED!!! ;-)

http://www.imvotingrepublican.com/ McCain Sucks!

by yitbos96bb on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 12:47:25 PM EST

Will conservative Social Security ads be (none / 0)

too controversial? I wonder why this policy didn't apply to the Harry & Louise ads?

Where is the coalition to kill Social Security going to spend up to $100 million if they can't place ads at the major networks?

by Gary Boatwright on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 12:48:51 PM EST

Re: Will conservative Social Security ads be (none / 0)

This is exactly my reaction when I read the bit about the ads.

What if a sizeable portion of America finds the President's position on Social Security controversial? Or if we find the Iraq Policy controversial?

I can only hope that the Ohio leg. comes to their senses on this one....

by twomblyk on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 12:55:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Will conservative Social Security ads be (none / 0)

I am much more concerned about the TV networks censoring any ads that seem critical of the Republican positions. I have no doubt that ads supportive of those positions will be allowed to be shown. Surely, this is a violation of some federal law?

by Sacramentohop on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 01:02:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Will conservative Social Security ads be (none / 0)

I doubt it. I couldn't find it, but see Chris' diary on The Fairness Docrine. I'm not even sure The Fairness Doctrine would apply to network decisions about commercials. The Fairness Doctrine is generally applied to programing content. It is possible that the only thing that restricts the ability of networks to run ads is their corporate policy.

by Gary Boatwright on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 01:34:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hunting professors (none / 0)

There a similiar bill to the one in Ohio, under debate in Indiana. The Horowitz Jugend are behind all this, but the made a major mistake last fall.

This poster was posted all over the campus mentioned in the article:

Just for the record Indiana law, IC 35-41-1-26.5 defines terrorism as:

IC 35-41-1-26.5

"Terrorism" defined

Sec. 26.5. "Terrorism" means the unlawful use of force or violence or the unlawful threat of force or violence to intimidate or coerce a government or all or part of the civilian population.

As added by P.L.156-2001, SEC.9.

Think a wanted poster like the above qualifies as an "unlawful threat of force or violence to intimidate or coerce a government or all or part of the civilian population."

by ManfromMiddletown on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 08:02:08 PM EST

Not to mention... (none / 0)

...That the Republican author of this bill has referred to most university faculty as "Democrats, liberals or socialists or card-carrying communists". There's not much more in this state that infuriates me more than this bill.

by asearchforreason on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 08:06:03 PM EST

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