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January 31, 2005
Union
of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
Co-Signs Letter Requesting President to
Appoint New F.C.C. Chair Committed to
Enforcing Broadcast Decency Laws
The Union of Orthodox
Jewish Congregations of America – the nation’s largest Orthodox
Jewish umbrella organization representing nearly 1,000
congregations nationwide – has joined with others in a letter sent
to President George W. Bush urging him, in the wake of the
resignation of Michael Powell, to appoint a new Chairman of the
Federal Communications Commission who is committed to continuing
that agency’s enforcement of broadcast indecency laws.
Excerpts from the letter, signed by UOJCA executive Rabbi T. Hersh
Weinreb along with more than 40 other national and state leaders,
include the following:
Years ago, TV
broadcasters had a strong industry-wide code and self-imposed
internal standards that generally reflected community standards.
However, this is no longer the case. Studies show how sexual
(talk & action) and vulgar broadcast TV has become. Opinion
polls have consistently found that a large majority of adult
Americans are offended by and concerned about sex and vulgarity
on TV. Countless articles critical of TV sex and vulgarity have
also appeared in both religious and secular publications.
Evidence also mounts that children are adversely affected by
media sex and vulgarity.
During the 1990s (and beyond), radio “shock jocks” in markets
across the nation violated the broadcast indecency law with
little or no fear of the FCC….During the past 18 months, the FCC
has begun to levy large fines against radio station licensees
that carry so-called “shock jocks”... These were steps forward
for the FCC, but if there is to be a lasting impact, these steps
must be repeated and expanded upon until broadcasters understand
they are not above the law – and that won’t happen unless
Chairman Powell’s successor is committed to enforcing indecency
laws.
Rabbi Weinreb, a clinical
psychologist in addition to leading communal rabbi noted that “no
community or family can entirely shield itself from the negatives
effects of a coarse popular culture. We join with other concerned
citizens to urge the President to appoint an FCC chairman who will
continue down the road of enforcing America’s broadcast decency
laws to the benefit of all our families.”
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