I posted this in the anti-Fox News thread but I think it deserves its own. Canada has banned Dire Straits' Money For Nothing video because it contains the word "fa**ot". Really? The first video ever to air on MTV, back when they actually played videos, is now too offensive to air. I wonder if most of rap music is banned there as well. And I thought they had made such strides when they allowed Fox News to be televised there.

Link

edit - I would evade the swear filter by substituting the two asterisks with 9s but I don't care to be admonished. In this instance I don't believe the word should be censored.

"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles was the first video to be shown on MTV.

My bad. It was MTV Europe's first.

I gotta say, people are really bad at context when it comes to so-called "obscenities." Calling a gay person a piece of wood you throw in a fire to burn in reference to the atrocities committed against gay people throughout history is vile, offensive, and disgusting. Calling anyone a ****** because you're angry or frustrated is probably an immature or unthoughtful thing to say, but those that take offense are being disingenuous when they mistake it for the first.

Yeah the CRTC is pretty goddamn fascist, I will admit that. Basically they are the most corrupt part of the government and have no oversight. Did I tell you about the bandwidth caps we have now?
CRTC approved.

We probably won't be far behind. Our government is trying real hard to get its hooks into our internet as well.

I posted this in the anti-Fox News thread but I think it deserves to be posted here.


The CBSC is the Canadian equivalent of the FCC. The Canadian regulations w.r.t. obscenity are similar to to the American regulations, although the Canadian regulations are more verbose and purpose-oriented while the American regulations involves much more frighteningly generic handwaving about what an "average" person deems objectionable.

Here are the Canadian obscenity regulations (specifically relevant are Clauses 9 and 10): http://www.cbsc.ca/english/codes/cabethics.php
Here are the FCC regulations: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html

It's very well-established that people who watch Fox News know less about other countries, local, national and international politics, current events and history than people who watch any other cable news program. I'm truly happy that Fox News has chosen to educate their audience about how similar Canada's state censorship is to your own.



To actually explain this issue (because Wookie won't,) the song is only banned from broadcast on radio stations. Like the United States, public airwaves are considered government property and are leased to operators under some relatively strict agreements. Also like the United States, our constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of expression does not apply in this situation.

I like the parody more

I would also argue that this thread is a deliberate attempt to incite a flame-war and was not posted with any intention of starting a meaningful discussion about the issue. i.e. "LOL Canada" is far from a productive way of introducing such a topic, especially when we are dealing with an issue that virtually everyone agrees is more urgent and less funny in the United States.

I also believe that this objection applies to all threads and posts made by Wookie06.

I second this motion.


(Should we just elect a community senate?)

And I thought the FCC was bad (I hear this song on the radio, ****** and all, frequently).

But shouldn't they take the context into account? This lyric is about how close-minded and short-sighted people can be. The word serves a purpose here. It's not about actually disrespecting homosexuals.

It's pretty silly to ban it, if you ask me.

So it's banned on radio but not on TV?

The issue, I think, is that the word is obscene in our culture. Here, people don't use the word in any other context, and (obviously) few people here are even aware of an alternative use. In our culture, the word '******' has no meaning other than a discriminatory slur or a generic profanity.

You can't base enforcement on context, especially in imported media, because it's impossible to say where the line should be drawn. For example, Japanese cartoons often contain English swears (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZZMnzqPeqU) because they are socially acceptable in Japanese culture. It's not acceptable here, so we don't allow it.

Yes, radio and TV have different rules. They would be able to air the uncensored music video after 9 PM on broadcast television as long as a parental discretion advisory is displayed beforehand.

Right, I see. English swears are acceptable in our culture too. You can say 'f**k' on TV here in The Netherlands.

However, an artist like Sizzla isn't allowed to give concerts here, because of his many homophobic lyrics. As far as I know, there is no ban on broadcasting the music though.

Rappers Jedi Mind Tricks were in the news too. They were allowed to perform here as long as they promised not to play that one very homophobic track.

I'm really on the fence with this whole censorship thing. Personally, I feel it should be fine as long as it isn't inciting hate or violence.

Incite away. If you get angry, well, you're the one with the problem.

True. Thinking some more about it, I'm actually not in favour of censorship at all.

Let's just say that (to me) it's more understandable if it's for that reason.

Coming to think of it, I really need a smoke

The primary difference I see in the two entities, and please correct me if I am wrong, is that the CBSC also regulates cable. Off the top of my head I don't know if they have any part of your governments regulation of the internet.



hurr



I'm glad you explained it because I wouldn't. I linked to an article and pointed out the absurdity. Seems extreme to ban a quarter century old song now. Why not just fine radio stations that don't edit the offending word?



The thread title was to mock the many members that routinely comment on issues American by posting "LOL America" and "burgerboys". I'm sure you will argue that is trolling.



I'm sure you do.

Wrong; the FCC also regulates cable.

Appeal to tradition. Cultures change, and the standards for what can and should be appropriate must also change.

Yes, I do. I also agree with your opinion that you are posting equivalent remarks. Thank you for admitting that you are trolling.

Perhaps I slightly misworded that but, still, the following [link] is insightful:





I don't dispute that. Still, editing or "bleeping" the offending content should suffice.



hurr. You're welcome.

Did you actually read the article you posted at the start of this thread?

Oops. I did but I either missed that sentence or forgot it since last night. Thanks for pointing out the oversight.

The whole FCC censorship thing is stupid. If you don't like what's on TV, don't freaking pay for it. It's not like it's improving your life in any way anyway.

I don't see the problem. Beeping out offensive language is common practice.

-Is the problem because you don't think "******" is offensive?

The FCC regulates the stuff you don't pay for. Content delivered over the air and received with an antenna.

People still listen to terrestrial radio?

Probably about 99%+ of people that are driving.

I want my MTV.

We've got to move to Beverlyyyyyyyyyyyy

Hills, that is.