The number of indecency complaints against television and radio broadcasters plummeted more than 96 percent during the second quarter, according to data released by the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
The agency reported receiving 6,161 complaints about indecency between April and June, versus 157,016 complaints during the first quarter, the agency said in its quarterly update, according to the report.
Reuters said that FCC spokeswoman Rosemary Kimball would not comment on the reason for the decline or what prompted the number of complaints during the first three months of 2005.
The number of complaints can include duplicates sent to various FCC offices. The number of complaints has not reached this low a level since the second quarter of 2003 when complaints were 351, according to FCC records, according to the story.
Since FCC Chairman Kevin Martin took the reins of the agency in March, the FCC has not taken any public action on pending indecency complaints. In 2004, the FCC proposed fines against broadcasters totaling almost $8 million.
The news service reported that when Martin was a FCC commissioner, he pushed for stiffer fines against broadcasters. When he became chairman, Martin prodded the cable television industry to respond to those parents, who are increasingly concerned about their children being able to see coarse material on television.
U.S. regulations bar broadcast television and radio stations from airing indecent content, such as profanity and sexually explicit content, except late at night when children are less likely to be watching or listening.
Pictured: Kevin Martin.
