censorship on mtv?

[Agathon]

The two aren't mutually exclusive.

Kiwis don't understand that social issues are irrelevent since politics' only sphere of action is legislation.

Of course it's relevant. It makes a huge difference to the quality of public debate. You might as well ignore the actual issue, since you don't have anything substantial to contribute as an objection.

MTV is an entertainment channel. It happens to specialize in entertainment provided by musical artists. As such, it would be counterproductive from any point of view for MTV to show something that is not only not going to entertain its viewers, but actually offend half of them.

Lord knows that the media should never feel obliged to broadcast anything that might offend people.

It's not counterproductive if your audience weren't slavering, intolerant morons and if you had any guts. So much for free expression....

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Agathon

The two aren't mutually exclusive.

Of course it's relevant. It makes a huge difference to the quality of public debate. You might as well ignore the actual issue, since you don't have anything substantial to contribute as an objection.

What are you going to do about it. The only recourse is a) playing their game with the boycotts (which would be morally inconsistent) or b) some sort of legal recourse.

MTV is an entertainment channel. It happens to specialize in entertainment provided by musical artists. As such, it would be counterproductive from any point of view for MTV to show something that is not only not going to entertain its viewers, but actually offend half of them.

Lord knows that the media should never feel obliged to broadcast anything that might offend people.

The entertainment media, no, at least if it's trying to entertain a wide range of people. Try to read more closely, will you?

It's not counterproductive if your audience weren't slavering, intolerant morons and if you had any guts. So much for free expression....

I agree. We should get rid of all of those people who are intolerant of hate speech and put neonazis and homophobes on the air 24/7.

[Agathon]

What are you going to do about it. The only recourse is a) playing their game with the boycotts (which would be morally inconsistent) or b) some sort of legal recourse.

Or for the people who have the most power in the situation (i.e. the broadcasters) to show a bit of spine. That's what happens elsewhere. You really need to spend some time in a free country.

As for the entertainment media, is there anything else in your country these days? I think not.

[Master Zen]

Hey Agathon, are you allowed to go post a partisan rant in the Civ3 forum here in Apolyton?

Here's a hint: NO.

I guess all Apolytoners are slavering intolerant morons and the administration is illegally supressing their right of freedom of speech.

I think in all your supposed liberal rhetoric you really have no f*ucking clue what freedom of speech is and the limits to it. MTV has the liberty to choose what it wants to express and it definitely goes above your right to express your crap through their channels since they pay for their time on air and have every right to choose what to transmit.

Instead of whining non-sensically, why don't you get your own cable channel and ask NIN to perform in it?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Agathon

What are you going to do about it. The only recourse is a) playing their game with the boycotts (which would be morally inconsistent) or b) some sort of legal recourse.

Or for the people who have the most power in the situation (i.e. the broadcasters) to show a bit of spine. That's what happens elsewhere. You really need to spend some time in a free country.

How would the broadcasters (actually, MTV is a cable channel) showing spine help YOU, since you are opposed to them.

As for the entertainment media, is there anything else in your country these days? I think not.

Not only is this untrue, but it doesn't have anything to do with my point. The purpose of an entertainment network is one thing, in a capitalist or communist or feudalist society: entertain. Not to serve as a forum for political expression. The entertainment value of something, in fact, is often decreased when political expresion, especially controversial political expression, is mixed in. Keeping said expression out of an entertainment network in no way precludes the views from being aired.

And I'm still waiting for your in response to:

I agree. We should get rid of all of those people who are intolerant of hate speech and put neonazis and homophobes on the air 24/7.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker

The principle is not. It would be a gross violation of free speech for you to be able to force the network to air what YOU want to say - besides which such a situation is absurd. They can't display everyone's views. Moreover, it's not a political channel, for chrissakes. Next you'll complain that MarkG not letting us post political threads in the Civ3 forums is a violation of the spirit of free speech

I agree -- and well said.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Agathon
It's not counterproductive if your audience weren't slavering, intolerant morons and if you had any guts. So much for free expression....

Originally posted by Agathon
As I said, Americans don't really understand that free speech is really a social and not a legal issue.

It would seem that you are lacking in the tolerance area yourself.

[Kuciwalker]

asleepathewheel: he doesn't even believe in the free speech he's talking about - he's argued against it many times before. He doesn't actually believe in anything that could remotely resemble free expression.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
asleepathewheel: he doesn't even believe in the free speech he's talking about - he's argued against it many times before. He doesn't actually believe in anything that could remotely resemble free expression.

Oh, no, I understand that this is all mental masturbation for him.

Free expression, so long as you are anti-windows, anti-US, anti-Bush, anti-religion, anti-etc.

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by Master Zen

I guess all Apolytoners are slavering intolerant morons

Guess? I thought that was the received wisdom.