FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Paul Gallant

July 2, 2001 (202) 418-2300

**PRESS STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER GLORIA TRISTANI**

***Re: Enforcement Bureau Letter Ruling on Indecency Complaint***

***Against WDGC(FM), Durham, North Carolina***

The FCC's Enforcement Bureau has issued a letter dismissing a complaint
from Joyce Moller of Burlington, North Carolina. Ms. Moller had filed a
complaint with the Commission regarding the broadcast of potentially
indecent material by WDCG (FM). Ms. Moller's complaint says that at 8
a.m. on February 5, 2001, hosts of the "Bob and Madison Showgram" on
WDCG were taking calls from people that had never masturbated (shaking
hands with the queen or something to that effect). ... \[T\]hey told the
listener in question that they would give them ten minutes to put the
phone down and try it. If they did they would give them 'a bunch of
prizes.'

Ms. Moller went on to say:

I couldn't believe that it was actually on the radio and once that
settled in, I couldn't believe that they would air this trash at 8 am!
Parents can't and shouldn't have to monitor everything their children
listen to on the radio.

Actually, Ms. Moller's observation about the need to protect children is
precisely why the Supreme Court has upheld the FCC's authority to limit
indecent broadcasts. In *FCC v. Pacifica Foundation*, the Court said
indecency regulation is appropriate because parents need help in
protecting their children from potentially harmful broadcast material
and because "broadcasting is uniquely accessible to children.[^1] ^1^

The statute passed by Congress that gives the FCC authority to regulate
indecent broadcasts says: "Whoever utters obscene, indecent, or profane
language by means of radio communications shall be fined not more than
\$10,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.[^2] ^2^ It is
well established that the context is essential in determining whether a
particular broadcast is indecent[^3] ^3^

Of the three factors recently identified by the Commission as that
establish context, two seem particularly relevant here: (1) whether the
material appears to pander or is used to titillate; and (2) whether the
material dwells on the sexual or excretory activity[^4] ^4^ First, Ms.
Moller explains that the on air personality used a slang term ("shaking
hands with the queen") for masturbation. Ms. Moller also stated that the
on air personalities offered prizes to a caller who would masturbate
during the program. These two facts suggest that this discussion about
masturbation was not a bona fide news cast but a conversation intended
to titillate and pander. Second, as to whether the material dwelled on
the discussion of sexual activity, Ms. Moller's complaint indicates that
this segment of the program apparently lasted for at least 10 minutes.
This implies something much closer to a persistent focus than a fleeting
reference.

Given this, Ms. Moller\'s complaint deserved a careful investigation
rather than the summary dismissal it received. At the very least, the
Bureau should have contacted the station to request a tape or transcript
of this program. As I suggest in a separate Press Statement, I believe
the Bureau also should contact the complainant where it appears
reasonably likely that additional "context" would result in a finding
that our indecency ban has been violated[^5]5 Such follow up, had it
occurred in this case, might well have led to the finding that WDCG
violated our broadcast indecency limitations. Without a change in the
Commission's process for enforcing the broadcast indecency regulations,
far too many complaints will be dismissed for "lack of context" when all
that is required for reasoned decisionmaking is a minimal amount of
follow up.

[^1]: ^"^1 *FCC v. Pacifica Foundation*, 438 U.S. 726, 749-750 (1978).

[^2]: ^"^2 18 U.S.C. § 1464; Communications Act, § 503(b)(1)(D).

[^3]: ^.^3 *Pacifica*, 438 U.S. 726, 750 ("context is all-important").

[^4]: ^.^4 *In the Matter of Industry Guidance On the Commission's Case
    Law Interpreting 18 U.S.C. § 1464 and Enforcement Policies Regarding
    Broadcast Indecency*, Policy Statement, FCC 01-90 (rel. Apr. 6,
    2001) at 5.

[^5]: ^.^5 Press Statement of Commissioner Gloria Tristani Re:
    Enforcement Bureau Letter Ruling on WKQX (FM), Chicago, Illinois
    Indecency Complaints (rel. June \_\_, 2001).