Last week, Stephen Colbert's CBS program, The Late Show, included a clip in which Colbert joked about Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Colbert's monologue has been critically described as crude, sexual, and even homophobic. The response to his jokes has triggered an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Colbert and CBS could be fined if the clip is determined to be "indecent." The investigation has caused an outcry by free speech advocates over government censorship. Do think that the FCC should be investigating Stephen Colbert for his comments? Why or why not? What do you predict the outcome of the investigation to be?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39828336
Sunday, May 7, 2017
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I read in the article that he may not be fined since his show aired after the time that it can be assumed children may be watching, although obviously it is still being investigated. I personally don't think that the government should be investigating this, although it was a crude joke for tv. His speech didn't incite violence or threaten national security and although it was insensitive in many ways it doesn't really warrant a full on investigation.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this warrants a full out investigation. Crudeness is not illegal. There was no clear/present danger, it didn't encourage violence, it wasn't a security threat, and insensitivity may not be particularly nice but it isn't against the law. We have rights to free speech for a reason, and this didn't seem to be anything that particularly warrants a real investigation.
ReplyDeleteEven if the comment was inappropriate, we have the right to freedom of speech. It didn't pose a clear and present danger and wasn't against written law. If people were fined for crudeness for all instances everyone would be broke.
ReplyDeleteI totally think it's appropriate for the FCC to investigate. I see where my fellow classmates are coming from with the whole free speech thing but I mean it's literally the FCC's job to make sure the viewers are being protected from harmful media. Even if Colbert said nothing wrong, the FCC can investigate whatever they want. Crudeness in public speech is legal but you can't be as crude as you want on air. Even so, this article isn't about whether you can be crude in public or not because the FCC isn't going to fine the general public for their speech. I'm glad the FCC is doing their job because without them, people could straight up lie and say whatever they want on air and mislead the public without facing any consequences. In this case, I doubt Colbert will face any danger since it appears that he wasn't crude during the hours when a child may be watching but I again see no problem with the FCC investigating just to be sure.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that Colbert's statements deserve an FCC investigation. Freedom of speech is a very important right, and Colbert was legally allowed to make his comments.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is protected under the first amendment and shouldn't be investigated, I think he should apologize to any homosexual audience members who are loyal to him and may have felt alienated by such comments.
ReplyDeleteWhile what Colbert said was and can be offensive to many audiences, he does have the right to free speech and he shouldn't be investigated. However, I agree with Harrison in that he should apologize to any people who took offense to what he said. But technically he is able to say whatever he wants.
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