The Commission's historic reluctance to second-guess journalistic decisions by television news departments is understandable, but the country has a serious problem with local TV news and the Commission must do more than say they can't do anything about it. We are not asking the Commission to regulate content or censor content of news programs. The Commission can, however, send a message about manipulative violence, warn about it and invite a national discussion about it. It is inconceivable that the Commission would remain silent as millions of Americans suffer the consequences. Violence, threatened or actual, creates an environment of fear, intimidation and power.
Violence is the supreme manipulator of audiences.
It acts like a powerful stimulant on viewers and must be handled by broadcasters with care and sensitivity. Yet, many TV news departments view violence as their bread and butter. Because media violence is a key ingredient of what marketing departments call 'arousal,' violence on television is highly prized and overused. The Supreme Court's Red Lion decision established that the public's First Amendment rights have precedence over the stations' interests. If the Commission's policies preclude protecting the people when the public interest is harmed, then it is time to revise those policies.