Parents Television Council Demands Details Of Comcast's Porn Revenue

from the of-all-the-complaints... dept

I still think those opposed to the Comcast/NBC Universal merger are overreacting, but I have to admit the most amusing effort to deal with the merger may come from the Parents Television Council, the group famous for flooding the FCC with complaints every time it hears about something it doesn't believe belongs on TV. Apparently, PTC is now demanding that Comcast reveal how much money it makes from porn. Honestly, I'm wondering if it got the idea from a recent episode of 30 Rock, which has been using the "fictional" ongoing merger between NBC (in the show) and Kabletown to mock the proposed real-life merger. In one episode, a Kabletown exec claims that the entire business is funded on porn, and execs don't have to do anything, because the money just rolls in.
"Comcast is one of the most far-reaching distributors of pornography in the communities it serves, raising serious questions about whether the company meets the character and public interest obligations required," said PTC President Tim Winter.
Interesting. I didn't realize that "character" was part of how the FCC reviewed mergers. Good luck with that one, PTC.
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Filed Under: parents television council, porn, revenue
Companies: comcast, nbc universal


Reader Comments

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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2010 @ 12:51am

    Porn on the telly? is that still on?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    fairuse (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 1:10am

    PTC confused: Thinks Comcast is Cable Radio

    "Comcast is one of the most far-reaching distributors of pornography in
    the communities it serves, raising serious questions about whether the
    company meets the character and public interest obligations required,"
    said PTC President Tim Winter.

    1} PPV & adult channels fall into the "Big Frickin Deal". Waste of time and
    money. Except for teenage boys and college 'frat' parties.

    2) PTC: Parental Controls are in the settop box, not in your head.

    3) PTC: It is not cable radio it's cable TV. Telecom Act public service rules for radio do not apply.

    4) PTC: Get an internet connection for the good p0rn.

    I needed a good laugh.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      fairuse (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 1:15am

      Re: PTC confused: Thinks Comcast is Cable Radio

      Dam, forgot. The 'public Interest' part of broadcast license transfer has more to due with market area than content.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    PaulT (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 2:10am

    If only these organisations would spend half this level of effort actually getting parents to, you know, *parent* instead of trying to block things that the parents should be monitoring to begin with...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Chunky Vomit, 30 Jun 2010 @ 2:19am

    Maybe they aren't talking about TV as much as they are internet! Which, if that is the case, I'm sure it is true! While Comcast might not make direct revenue from the sale of porn on the net, it does supply the pipes... so byte for byte, they might be onto something.

    Sadly, this is true for every ISP. hahaha!

    Kinda puts a new spin on the "money shot".

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2010 @ 2:38am

    "I still think those opposed to the Comcast/NBC Universal merger are overreacting"

    I think not, one thing that fuel intense lobby and bad services is this merger of companies that have conflict of interests in the long run.

    That point is simple but with powerful consequences.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    sat gal, 30 Jun 2010 @ 2:43am

    There called Parental Controls

    I used to work at directv, and one of the longest calls that I have ever had was due to a kid buying porn on the ppv, it was over 4.5 hours long (2 hr overtime that night) a simple 4 step process would have fixed her problem, but no it was our fault that she did not setup oarental controls on her set top reciever, a good ranting about how the government should regulate this sort of thing, I gave here this qoute,
    "People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both." from good old Ben Franklin. she asked from my supervisor.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Peet McKimmie (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 3:43am

    Define "Porn"

    The problem with a request such as this is that the people making it have a different definition of "Porn" to the majority of people who actually watch porn. For example, from their POV, all the advertising revenue from a series of "Californication" would count as "Porn income", despite the fact that here in the UK it's shown on normal unencrypted broadcast TV.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    techflaws.org (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 3:57am

    'demand'? WTF?

    I didn't realize the PTC was in a position to demand anything from anyone.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      mike allen (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 4:45am

      Re: 'demand'? WTF?

      they can demand what they want like I can demand your bank details. Doesant mean i will get them.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Berenerd (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 5:44am

        Re: Re: 'demand'? WTF?

        You demand? damnit!

        My pin is 12345....Just don't take my money out yet...I need my rent check to clear...

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Dark Helmet (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 6:04am

          Re: Re: Re: 'demand'? WTF?

          "My pin is 12345...."

          My God! That's the kind of combination an idiot puts on his luggage!

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    NAMELESS ONE, 30 Jun 2010 @ 4:39am

    think of the children comcast

    NO GOOD RATINGS NOW FOR YOU

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Sergio, 30 Jun 2010 @ 5:48am

    Why is porn a bad thing

    No one has ever been able to answer the question: Why is porn bad? For the most part, no one is getting hurt (in a way they don't want). It beautifully tares down race and gender boundaries.

    The only thing I can think of is that it's because we're told that porn is bad at a very young age. And like anything at that age, we don't need an explanation, we just believe it and carry it forward. I saw my first porn when I was 12 (no thanks to my prude parents btw) and I've been watching ever since. I didn't turn into some kind of deviant. I don't degrade women. I'm not a rapist or child molester. I'm not any of the things that people say porn does to people and neither are any of the many people I know who watch.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2010 @ 6:18am

    the ptc people will do anything to stop the legal distribution of porn, including creating drama where none exists. comcast is a cable company that has adult channels (similar to direct tv and others) offered as ppv.

    their standard method is to make anyone who enjoys porn look like a criminal, a pervert, a potential child molester, and an outcast. many companies and individuals fold to this kind of pressure.

    for those who follow history, the ptc is just the current version of the moral majority, a small group of busy body idiots who think they can tell you what you can and cannot have.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Free Capitalist (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 7:15am

      Re:

      TAM??? Can't be. This one seems to be against people telling them what they can and cannot have, and using the government as the instrument to achieve just that.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2010 @ 8:47am

        Re: Re:

        Calm down there skippy. Everyone needs a little porn now and again.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    ac, 30 Jun 2010 @ 7:08am

    conflict of interest

    Why is Comcast in the porn biz anyway? If you go blind from you-know-what, you can't watch TV anymore.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2010 @ 7:12am

    Freedom first

    I wabt the freedom to have my pornography. I am 65 years old and have no woman. What am I supposed to do. Pick up an old woman to have sex with. Yuck. I want my freedom to eat cholesterol laden fatty meat and I want my pornography.
    How dare they deny me my basic freedom and relief from the stresses of sex to me is a basic freedom.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2010 @ 7:18am

    No porn

    No porn for the kiddies? No reason to teach them responsible sexuality. I want them to watch Sponge Bob instead so they can learn to bully their next door neighbor. Heaven forbid they might learn how to satisfy their wife.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    mjb5406 (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 8:18am

    The PTC is a Joke

    I've said it before and I'll say it again... the PTC has suck screwed up priorities that it's frightening. As often is the case, the lay blame for the "moral degeneration" of kids at the feet of someone else, when, in reality, it's the fault of uninvolved, uninterested parents. Comcast's retort is simple... every one of its set-top boxes (which is the ONLY way to view the porn they sell) has parental controls... USE THEM. This isn't a case where viewing that kind of programming should be "opt in", forcing people to, by default, enter a code to watch it. I'm sure, however, that the PTC is, as usual, funded by some politically connected, conservative group of religious fanatics. This has nothing to do with the Comcast/NBC-U merger, and everything to do with furthering their misguided agenda.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    The Devil's Coachman (profile), 30 Jun 2010 @ 12:54pm

    PTC - didn't they used to be the Legion of Decency?

    I remember that way back when the Roman Catholic church thought they could tell you what movies and TV shows to watch and what books to read, or you would burn in hell for eternity. On the other hand, they had no problems with priests diddling alter boys before and after Mass. We always read their list so we would know what we needed to see.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    blackass, 25 Aug 2010 @ 1:09am

    business

    hi all,
    i would like to introduce myself as 1$ per hour. pl. contact me on n.kaelig@gmail.com for tonight. group sex is also invited at 2$ per hour. max. pax 4.
    pl. reply soon.
    keep in touch
    n.kaelig@gmail.com

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      fate, 25 Aug 2010 @ 1:11am

      Re: business

      why you bitch, how can u post this kind of fucking stuff on this website. try SPAM other website.
      fuck you blackass.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      john abraham, 25 Aug 2010 @ 1:12am

      Re: business

      hey u bitch, find another place to start your xxxx business.
      get out of here blackass,
      f**k u

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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