Chris Nicholson's Writing Weblog
November 11, 2004 • Thursday
ABC television affiliates in over 20 markets are refusing to air tonight's Veteran's Day broadcast of the movie Saving Private Ryan because they fear fines from the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). (See the Washington Post article.)
In accordance of their agreement with director Stephen Spielberg, ABC is airing the movie unedited — graphic violence and profanity included.
But Saving Private Ryan is not a showcase for violence and profanity that's gratuitous; it's a top-rate historical film that depicts the brutal realities of war. It's not a pale excuse to put sophomoric debauchery in front of a paying audience; it's one of the best films made by one of the best directors of our time. It's honest. It's poignant. It's educational.
When television stations are afraid of airing this movie — not because they fear the reaction of their audience, but because they fear retribution from a government agency — that's when we've crossed the line to censorship. That's when the FCC should know it's gone too far in "protecting" the innocence of America's airwaves.
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