Balderas, a First Amendment attorney, explained why stations took a cautious approach when censoring profanity during the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup celebration.
Assistant Professor of JournalismIsrael Balderas was featured in a recent article examining why North Carolina television stations censored portions of the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup celebration broadcast amid ongoing scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The story explores how broadcasters balance live event coverage with federal regulations governing indecent language.
Balderas, a First Amendment attorney, explained that stations likely took a cautious approach in light of the FCC’s recent investigations involving several television broadcasters. Although celebratory speeches during the rally included profane language, he said station managers were being cautious.
“If I was a news director or a GM, I would say, ‘Look, I don’t want to add more fodder to this other issue, so let’s play it safe,’” Balderas told The News & Observer. “So certainly that other legal FCC fight was in the mind of the people back at the station.”
The article notes that federal regulations prohibit the broadcast of indecent language on over-the-air television between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., giving stations reason to exercise additional caution during live events. Balderas says the solution is often “bleep first and ask questions later.”
“That’s why viewers sometimes heard more silence than speech, and that was frustrating to them,” he said. “It’s not always elegant. But from the station’s perspective, it’s risk management.”
Balderas was also quoted in a about the current fight between the FCC and some television stations owned by The Walt Disney Corporation.