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