Federal Material Fcc Station People Eslpod Profanity Decency

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC, an agency or department of the federal (national) government) regulates "obscenity, decency, and profanity" in "programming" (things that are shown on TV or heard over the radio). "Obscene" material is sexual, without artistic value. "Indecent" material is sexual or "excretory" (related to feces or poop; humans' solid waste). And "profane" materials uses very bad words that are not acceptable in most social situations.

Federal law "prohibits" (does not allow) obscene programming at any time, and it limits indecent or profane programming to certain times of day, "presumably" (one assumes) when children are not watching, specifically between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

If the FCC determines that these laws have been "violated" (broken; not followed), it can issue a "fine" (money that must be paid as punishment) or "revoke" (take back) a "license" (official permission to do something, in this case, for a station to broadcast programs). In some cases, people can even be sent to jail for up to two years.

However, the FCC must carefully balance these restrictions with "freedom of speech" (the right of people to state their beliefs without interference from the government). The freedom of speech is a "fundamental" (basic and important) U.S. "right" (what all citizens in a country are allowed or should expect).

People who believe that a station has broadcasted obscene, indecent, or profane materials can file a complaint in writing in the form of a letter, fax, or email, or by phone. They should identify the "offending" (causing the problem) station and the time when the "objectionable" (something that one does not like) material was "aired" (seen on TV or heard on the radio). The FCC then "investigates" (researches) the "incident" (something bad that has happened) and determines whether the laws have been broken.