Peter Chernin, News Corp. COO, firmly believes that Nicole Richie has a right to curse on live TV -- and for that reason, he's our new hero.
Chernin railed against the FCC for holding Fox accountable for curse words uttered by Nicole Richie and Cher on live television, according to Broadcasting & Cable. From the sound of it, this case is going to be a lot of fun.
"While a case with Cher and Nicole Richie at its center is probably not one we would have chosen to argue before the Supreme Court, we don’t get to pick our cases," Chernin reportedly said at a recent media awards ceremony. "In fact, if anyone had told me that my company would be before the U.S. Supreme Court defending inane comments by Cher and Nicole Richie, I would have said, 'You're crazy.' But I would contend that the nature of this speech, and who said it, makes absolutely no difference."
Chernin further argues that the case is a threat to the First Amendment.
"It hinges on utterances that were unscripted on live television. If we are found in violation, just think about the radical ramifications for live programming -- from news, to politics to sports. In fact, to every live broadcast television event. The effect would be appalling . . . we have not just a right but a responsibility to stand up to the government when it crosses that First Amendment line in the sand -- even if the content we are defending is in bad taste. And in the indecency context, that line has not only been crossed, it has been obliterated,"
he said.
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