Buffy The Vampire Slayer

U.S. communications regulators have denied complaints that TV stations violated indecency rules when they aired episodes of both shows with fake lesbian and heterosexual sex.

U.S. communications regulators have denied complaints that TV stations violated indecency rules when they aired episodes of NBC’s "Will and Grace" and UPN’s "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with fake lesbian and heterosexual sex, according to orders released on Monday.

The Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) ruled that two women kissing and faking sexual intercourse on "Will and Grace" did not violate regulations that limit indecent material to late night hours and bans outright obscene material.

"Both characters are fully clothed, and there is no evidence that the activity depicted was dwelled upon, or was used to pander, titillate or shock the audience," the FCC (news - web sites) said in one order.

The FCC has been cracking down on sexual antics aired on television and radio and stepped up its efforts after singer Janet Jackson’s bare breast popped out in a performance during a nationally televised sporting event.

The agency also refused a complaint by the Parents Television Council, a frequent television critic, that said the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" show on UPN was indecent because it appeared to show two characters engaged in sexual intercourse.

The FCC said the episode showed Buffy kissing and straddling a male character after the two fought but "based on our review of the scene, we did not find that it is sufficiently graphic or explicit to be deemed indecent."

NBC is owned by General Electric Co. and Viacom Inc. owns the UPN network.

From 365gay.com :

Will & Grace, Buffy Beat Obscenity Charges by Doreen Brandt 365Gay.com Newscenter Washington Bureau

Posted: August 12, 2004 10:56 am ET

(Washington) An investigation, prompted by complaints to the Federal Communications Commission that scenes from Will & Grace and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were obscene, has found neither series violated standards of decency.

The complaints were brought by the conservative Parents Television Council, based in Phoenix.

The group argued that in the Will & Grace episode that aired last year Grace (Debra Messing) kissed a female photographer (Glenn Close) followed by Close’s character rubbing against Messing in a sexually suggestive manner.

In the "Buffy," episode, on the now defunct series, the PTC complained about a scene that had Spike (James Marsters) and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) having what appeared to be sex against a wall.

The FCC, in the midst of a decency campaign, ordered NBC and UPN to submit tapes of the shows.

In a ruling this week the commissioners said that there was no intent to "pander, titillate or shock." The ruling went on to say that "there is no evidence that the activity depicted was dwelled upon."

Had the networks been found guilty they could each have been fined up to a maximum of $27,000. As the FCC moves to "clean up" television in the wake of Janet Jackson’s breast being revealed during the Super Bowl half time show fines are going up. Congress has approved legislation to increase them but it has not yet become law.

The Buffy and Will & Grace ruling is not sitting well with the PTC. Spokesperson Lara Mahaney said she is concerned about the episodes now playing in syndication are running during the so-called family hour of 7 p.m. in many markets.

"Eight o’clock is when the largest number of children is watching television," said Mahaney. "Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., knock yourself out. This was graphic sex and we think there are compelling reasons why children shouldn’t see that kind of graphic sex."

From 123bharath.com :

Buffy, Spike pardoned for love scene

Hollywood News > Los Angeles, Aug 11 : A US body that regulates the media has pardoned Buffy and Spike of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" for the "crime of depicting a love scene onscreen".

A leading socialist body had filed a complaint against the popular television series because in the "Smashed" episode, Buffy and the always cool Spike had a fight that ended with the two of them making love for the first time, reports iomx.com.

Buffy is played by Sarah Michelle Geller and Spike by James Masters. The actress has not played the character since May 2003.

The episode, originally aired Nov 20, 2001, was seen in a rerun recently by a member of the Parent Television Council (PTC). The organisation had asked the government to take action against the series and television station since the episode violated "federal indecency rules".

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), after deliberating on the issue, has pardoned the series.

It said: "There was no nudity, and there was no evidence that the activity depicted was dwelled upon or was used to pander, titillate or shock the audience."

— Indo-Asian News Service

From Bbc.co.uk :

Buffy not smutty

Body rejects complaint by watchdog about Buffy.

The Federal Communications Commission has rejected a compaint from the Parent Television Council in America over an episode of Buffy.

The complaint was levelled at the episode Wrecked which features Spike and Buffy fighting, before getting hot and sweaty in a different way.

"The commission noted that there was no nudity and there was no evidence that the activity depicted was dwelled upon or was used to pander, titillate or shock the audience," the report said.

The Parent Television Council would obviously rather we watch Little House on the Prarie on a loop. A big ’Yay!’ for common sense prevailing.