WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, told reporters on March 11 that he plans to introduce legislation that would require premium cable TV stations and satellite radio outlets to offer subscribers the same content warnings as movie companies are required to do.
Rumors had circulated on Capitol Hill all week that Stevens, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, was about to introduce legislation requiring the pay services to play by the same indecency rules as over-the-air broadcasters.
“We’re just going to do…what the movie business does in the beginning [of each program]: [viewers] read the ad about the movie and it tells you whether it’s something to take your children to,” Stevens said. “Why should cable insist that you have to call them because your children have already seen something that you don’t want them to see?”
Stevens claims to have the support of the public and many Congress members. He plans to meet with cable industry leaders at their annual convention.
Procedurally, Stevens added that he may introduce a separate bill or try to attach an amendment to the already-passed House indecency bill when it comes before the Senate.
