>>BTW, is the rating system the main reason why nothing ever happens on TV that was accidental? Why there is no live TV at all? Even what is live is staged. When was the last time something unscheduled happened and was let to be seen on TV (not counting 9/11, which is only a measure of how strong an event has to be to break this "no surprises" rule)?
>
>Think about it - rating would go *way* up for live shows where it was possible something bizarre would happen.

I know, and still scratch my head. How did this happen? How did real life get censored out? When?

Back in the seventies, the whole media theory said that the fundamental core of the TV was in the real time (we called it "direct transfer"), its unique ability to convey the events as they happen. Igor Mandić, the critic who went all the way with this line, actually smashed a glass which was in front of him in the studio during a talk show, saying "this is TV - nobody knew, not even I myself, that I would break this glass, yet all the country was able to witness the event. Only TV can do that, and that's what TV is all about.".

Now this was a strictly controlled communist TV where everything was strictly kosher and you couldn't see a kid spitting into a microphone, or a part of the scene crash... (but I saw it!), while here where the media are free nothing ever happens spontaneously.

How did we get painted into this corner?

>The FCC holds networks financially responsible for violations of content standards.

:)

So they are free to lie, belittle, do character assasinations, orchestrate campaigns, show paid footage as news etc etc, that's all first amendment stuff, but they'll pay dearly for showing a tit? Who's running this show, Vatican?

>As for advertising on TV - may not work on me because I never watch TV in realtime and never watch commercials, but there is reason to believe advertising works. Especially beer, trucks, and cell phone plans <g>

Still scratching my head. Hey, people are even taking those usury loans.