Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site alice.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!mjs From: mjs@alice.UUCP (M.J.Shannon,Jr.) Newsgroups: net.news Subject: Re: Need for Stargate screening? Message-ID: <3271@alice.UUCP> Date: Sun, 13-Jan-85 14:19:49 EST Article-I.D.: alice.3271 Posted: Sun Jan 13 14:19:49 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 14-Jan-85 04:34:30 EST References: <373@hercules.UUCP> Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill Lines: 41 Ladies & Gentlemen of the net: The moderation of Stargate vs. the unmoderation of the rest of USENET is completely analogous to what you may view on commercial TV vs. what you may view on cable TV. Commercial TV is broadcast (this is THE KEY WORD) into the homes of people who expect to see things having some modicum of taste; cable TV (in particular, the public access channels), have no such expectation placed on them. How many of you would be upset if, say, one of the national networks started broadcasting the sort of movies that appear on something like The Playboy Channel, or perhaps something much more vulgar (yes, I know that vulgarity is in the eyes of the beholder, but more importantly, it is in the eyes of the censor!)? A more important question is: How much of the commercial-TV-viewing- public would be upset? I'd be willing to bet my net worth that there would be such an uproar that any network that tried it would have so many suits filed against them that a) the broadcasting of such material would cease quickly, and b) the network could potentially fold while restraining orders were served. Is this what you want to happen to Stargate? Look, I don't appreciate censorship any more than any of the rest of you, but it is necessary to the success of the Stargate project. Anyone who doesn't agree just isn't being realistic! I don't care to see Lauren and/or the folks providing the satellite connection being sued for libel, slander, or obscenity (independent of my views on obscenity), nor do I care to have our network disbanded when the attempt is made to broadcast such things. Please, people, consider what the rest of the public may or may not be outraged at; they are the folks who will judge us based on what we broadcast. Consider too what the FCC would have to say about what we broadcast. In some sense, THEY are the `supreme authority' here, not Lauren, and not the folks providing satellite time. Enough flaming for now. As usual, the opinions expressed above are unrelated to any opinions my employer might have on the subject (if any). (Note that this disclaimer is DIRECTLY RELATED to the subject at hand; I don't care to lose my employment on the basis of what I say (or don't say) on this unmoderated forum.) -- Marty Shannon UUCP: {alice,research}!mjs (rabbit is dead; long live alice!) Phone: 201-582-3199