Our Position (Broadcast Decency)

Broadcast indecency contributes to the coarsening of society and impacts millions of families through profanity, violence and graphic sexuality.

We believe - and the law states - that the American public, not radio or television broadcasters, own the airwaves and have the right to determine how they are used.

The laws governing the public airwaves are clear that broadcasters must serve the public interest and refrain from transmitting offensive material. Many media conglomerates today feel there ought to to be no limits to what they broadcast and appear to have no regard for the harmful potential of their content. Citizens have a right to work through their elected and appointed leaders to rein in offensive broadcast content and take back the control of the airwaves.

We support consistent enforcement of laws against broadcast indecency on radio and television.

One of the chief functions of government is to restrain evil. Broadcast indecency makes it extremely difficult for parents to protect their children's mental and physical health against corrupting influences. Sexualized content on television, like other forms of pornography, reduces men and women to sexual commodities and violates God's beautiful plan and moral standards for human sexuality. We therefore call on elected and appointed officials to uphold public decency through consistent enforcement actions against indecency violators.

We encourage parents to cultivate media discernment in their children and act on their convictions regarding offensive entertainment.

God has given parents the primary responsibility for nurturing and protecting their children. Nurturing includes teaching children the difference between truth and lie, right and wrong, and healthy versus unhealthy depictions of relationships and sexuality. Parents protect their children by limiting the influence of corrupting media in the home and proactively working to clean up the culture in which their children live. Of course, any amount of protection cannot substitute for cultivating character and a strong Christian view of sexuality in our children.