In advance of the House vote on broadcast indecency, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is asking lawmakers to reject its measure to raise fines for broadcast indecency violations because of a provision affecting non-licensees - performers. HR 3717 would result in fine on-air staff fines for indecency "for the programming decisions controlled and implemented by broadcast licensees," state AFTRA President John Connolly and National Executive Director Greg Hessinger in their letter.
"We believe that such legislation should be rejected on the grounds that it represents an unconstitutional threat to free speech and would have an unnecessary chilling effect on artistic freedom. It is important to note that the FCC has never fined an individual performer or announcer therefore this legislation represents a fundamental shift with significant ramifications."
AFTRA states that "it's ridiculous" for media companies to claim assert they are running programming without full knowledge of the tone and style of that programming's content."