March (Web-only) 2002

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Sunday was a good time to watch, but not listen, to the TV
At the start of the television season, The New York Times reported that network television and basic cable were going to push the limits of what's allowed on non-premium channels. The Times report focused on serial shows like The West Wing and Philly, but it turns out that some of the boundaries were pushed over the weekend by special movies. "Time to wash the speakers out with soap," reports the Associated Press's David Bauder. "This past weekend marked a milestone in televised swearing."

ESPN's A Season on the Brink, about basketball coach Bobby Knight, contained a lot of cussing, but simulcast the movie on ESPN2 with the words edited out. "You couldn't produce a movie on Bobby Knight and use phrases like 'aw, shucks' and 'golly gee,' network vice president Mark Shapiro told the AP. "It just wouldn't be believable." Also airing Sunday night was CBS's 9/11 documentary about firefighters at the World Trade Center attack. "The language was rough but the circumstances were rough," executive producer Susan Zirinsky says.

Parents Television Council president Brent Bozell says the 9/11 language was justified, but the ESPN film's use was gratuitous. "Hollywood has done movies involving probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people who were known to cuss," he told the news service. "Were they doing a disservice by not having them cuss? When was the last time you heard people see a movie, and say, if there was more cussing, it would be more realistic?"

Dobson airs his NRB message over Focus on the Family broadcastAs has been reported heavily on this site, Focus on the Family's James Dobson played a major role in the forced resignation of National Religious Broadcasters president ...