rjs (09/27/82)
It has been pointed out to me that HBO broadcasts are time delayed in the West the same way that the major networks broadcasts are. So as long as the kids are in bed by 8:00 they'll be safe from the evils of R rated movies. It occurs to me that especially in Utah and other low population areas the arguments for censorship of cable TV really are the same as for broadcast TV. First of all, its quite true that if you don't like what the cable shows you don't have to buy it, but then again, if you don't like what the broadcast stations show, you don't have to buy a TV set either. Nobody breaks into your house and places a TV in it. So why is there censorship on the broadcast networks? Because the vast majority of americans want to watch various TV shows for whatever the perceived benifit may be. Now if you live in Utah, there aren't that many stations to choose from (probably just the 4 major networks and an independant or two) so a cable with 20 or 30 stations would be real nice. But for reasons I'm not sure I totally understand, there is never more than one cable company servicing a particular neighborhood. Thus cable really is an all or nothing proposition just like the networks. Some might argue that HBO and the other movie channels are optional, but my experience with 3 different cable companies is that the sound is always crystal clear and the picture can often be watched also. Thus children may be exposed to R rated language. (I should know, I used to watch the stuff as a child even though my parents didn't have the converter). So it seems to me that as long as cable TV is a government regulated service, its going to be subject to censorship based on local attitudes. You can pick and choose among magazines, newspapers and video tapes/disks, but you have at most one choice for cable service. Robert Snyder floyd!rjs