Will Broadcast Indecency Bill Be Fixed Before It Becomes Law?

The broadcast decency bill overwhelmingly passed by Congress last week contains hefty fines for individual performers judged to engage in indecency. But this provision might go away when the Senate and the House reconcile their bills. Performers’ unions are strongly opposed to the bill: “These fines are for any American, not just creative artists and broadcasters. Radio callers, politicians, virtually any individual is potentially subject to these outsized fines. While most speak about this subject as it relates to ‘Hollywood,’ John Q. Public has as much at risk as do our members.”