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Pacifica Revisited |
Case Type: |
Hypothetical.
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Exigence: |
In October of 1998, Northwestern's radio station, WNUR, broadcast a program commemorating the 25th anniversary of FCC v. Pacifica. As part of the program, they re-aired George Carlin's "Filthy Words" monologue--the same monologue that had gotten Pacifica Radio in trouble a quarter century before.
A listener, a father who had tuned into the broadcast while at home with his children, filed a complaint with the FCC. The FCC fined WNUR $1,000, and issued an order stating that because the station was aware of hte indecent nature of hte broadcast, any future broadcast of it would result in the immediate revocation of the station's broadcast license. WNUR has appealed, and the case is now before the Supreme Court.
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Audience: |
The Supreme Court and you, the general public.
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Possible |
Perhaps to demonstrate that context does matter, the Court published a transcript of Carlin's monologue, filthy words and all, as part of its decision in the Pacifica case.
FCC v. Pacifica itself, of course.
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Decision: |
Up to you.
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Related |
Offense Northwestern Broadcast media |
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Notes: |
This hypothetical was invented by '99 Comm Studies C30-1 students Valerie Schramm and Brian Weiss.
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For help
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Copyright © 1998 Jean Goodwin. All rights reserved. jeangoodwin@nwu.edu Last updated The Free Speech website, http://faculty-web.at.nwu.edu/commstud/freespeech/ |
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