FCC report reveals sharp drop in broadcast obscenity, indecency complaints

Informal consumer complaints to the FCC about radio and television broadcast indecency and obscenity fell to 4,368 in the second quarter of last year, a dramatic decrease from the first quarter when the total reached 149,457, according to a new commission report.

The FCC released its quarterly report of informal inquiries and complaints Jan. 14 covering everything from wireless and wireline inquiries to broadcast indecency, obscenity and digital television.

According to the report, in the first quarter of last year consumer inquiries about digital television issues rose 65 percent to 553. In the second quarter of the year, programming issues topped radio and television inquiries.

Concerning radio and television programming indecency and obscenity, the number of complaints received by the commission for each month during first two quarters of 2007 were:

  • January: 148,281
  • February: 1000
  • March: 176
  • April: 4055
  • May: 212
  • June: 101

For more information, visit: www.fcc.gov.