"Indecent" Reporting: Los Angeles Times implies Novak's profanity is subject to FCC action.

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Liberals' glee over Robert Novak's outburst on CNN has caused at least one major newspaper to lose sight of some facts.

Scott Collins, in today's (Fri. Aug. 5, 2005) Los Angeles Times, wrote in an article (sign-up req'd)(emphasis mine),

"The CNN incident was a leading topic for bloggers. On the liberal blog talkingpointsmemo.com, one reader wondered whether conservative activists would demand that the Federal Communications Commission fine Novak for indecency. Many conservatives complained after rock star Bono uttered a profanity during an NBC awards show and the FCC took no action."

Oops. Collins failed to mention that the FCC does not regulate indecency on cable. (Even Josh Marshall of the tpm blog remarked that this was so. Apparently Collins missed this and ran to his typewriter.) Bono's profanity occurred over NBC, which, as a boadcast outlet, is regulated by the FCC, of course.

Here is an interesting case at the FCC's web site. It addresses the event at the DNC convention last summer when a CNN staffer was heard using the "f-word." Says the order (emphasis mine), "The Commission does not regulate cable indecency. In this regard, the Commission recently stated: 'Indecency regulation is only applied to broadcast services,' not cable."

TheMediaReport.com says ... "Indecency" at the Times?!?