# Explain censorship in satellite radio vs. satellite t.v. please.



## mike62 (Mar 9, 2006)

I just subscribed to Sirius and it carries Howard Stern of course which advertises "UNCENSORED". Can anyone explain how can satellite radio be completly uncensored yet satellite t.v. or cable is censored very closely.

My personal opinion is if you pay extra which we all do to have satellite radio, t.v., cable, etc. I feel the government should not be allowed to censor it like they do. Public t.v. and radio broadcast, absolutely. Not something you OPT to subscibe to. If people find it offensive they will not subscribe to it or should use parental locks.

Anyway, not to get on the soapbox. Is it the images on television that they discrimnate against verses just audio which is why Stern or I suppose any other satellite radio feed can get away with it on satellite?

Thanks.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

How is cable and satellite TV censored closely?

There are lots of adult/x-rated channels on there for those who want to pay... and there are the HBO/SHOs of the world that show uncensored movies... and there are even non-pay-channels like Comedy Central that now shows uncensored comedy routines and movies late at night.

Seems to me that cable/satellite TV is exercising the same freedoms as satellite radio.


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## tsmacro (Apr 28, 2005)

mike62 said:


> I just subscribed to Sirius and it carries Howard Stern of course which advertises "UNCENSORED". Can anyone explain how can satellite radio be completly uncensored yet satellite t.v. or cable is censored very closely.
> 
> My personal opinion is if you pay extra which we all do to have satellite radio, t.v., cable, etc. I feel the government should not be allowed to censor it like they do.


I'm not sure the government does censor cable or satellite tv. I know they have "decency standards" for broadcast tv but as far as know cable/satellite generally police's itself based on the their viewers and advertiser's preferrences. I know broadcasters have claimed this is unfair and some people have complained to congress about the content on some cable channels and as a result congress has made some rumbles about imposing some standard, but as far as I know they haven't actually done it. The fact that congress has discussed it is one of the reasons you're now seeing companies offer "family line-ups". Anyway unless i'm completely wrong here I don't think the government does censor cable/satellite tv channels, let alone "very closely" as you state. What examples led you to think that there was such censorship?


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## mike62 (Mar 9, 2006)

I think you are right and actually I suppose a lot of the censorship i.e. nudity and language many cable providers are actually imposing on themselves and will edit movies like on TBS, USA, TNT, and so on. Probably due to pressure from groups of the government but maybe not under the direction of the government. I further assume those channels elect to do that so they will be welcome in the home of customers who choose to pay extra for subscription services.

However, one of the other comments I noted on here was talking about pay per view and its content which they are exactly right to point that out that is uncensored. I had forgot about that whole other tier of pricing above the normal subscription. I don't care about watching X rated movies but will say here in Tennessee they are not "available" in this area via the big satellite providers. They do send soft porn and that type but not the hardcore. That is fine but it seems something has been invoked there if you are unable to subscribe to it right?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

It is self-censorship. Mainly because the networks do NOT want to lose their audiences. Some channels have chosen looser standards and don't censor as tightly as others. But those loose standards can cost them as many viewers as they gain.

Even Howard Stern is censored - it is just censored to Howard's standards.


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## IowaStateFan (Jan 11, 2006)

mike62 said:


> I don't care about watching X rated movies but will say here in Tennessee they are not "available" in this area via the big satellite providers. They do send soft porn and that type but not the hardcore. That is fine but it seems something has been invoked there if you are unable to subscribe to it right?


Once upon a time the Supreme Court ruled that obscene material is not protected by the 1st amendment. One of the criteria used to determine if something is obscene is community standards. The so called "bible belt" has some of the strictest laws on pornography and obscenity, and the community standards of the area say the hardcore stuff is obscene and therefore E* is prohibited from selling it to you.


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## SamC (Jan 20, 2003)

Neither sat. TV nor sat. radio is "censored" at all in the strict defination of the word.

What SSR means by "uncensored" is that Mr. Stern is allowed to do his one-trick act of saying "F***" on the radio without restriction. If you find that funny, fine. If you don't, then you are probably over 12 years old.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I kind of like the system we have now.

When I'm watching Star Trek, I really don't think nudity or cursing would enhance my enjoyment of that series... nor do I really need the typical sitcom to have similar content.

But I like being able to watch the as-shown-in-theaters-uncensored movies on the movie channels.

Best of both worlds.

I think some cable/satellite channels like TNT and TBS and so forth are trying to compete for the same viewers that view traditional OTA... sometimes the content can be edgy and push the envelope, or can contain "adult" content when used for education or serious issues... but not to shock or entertain purely by being "adult" in nature.

They could just as well have a channel to compete for the adult market... like there could be a TNTA (that sounds funnier than I intended it to believe it or not), and they could show adult-themed sitcoms and dramas with adult content like sometimes airs on HBO/SHO... but I gather the market for that isn't as big as it is for the traditional somewhat tamer entertainment.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

SamC said:


> ...Mr. Stern is allowed to do his one-trick act of saying "F***" on the radio without restriction. If you find that funny, fine. If you don't, then you are probably over 12 years old.


 That's funny! :thats: :lol:


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