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Abortion And Harm To Children: Limits On Television Political Advertisements, David Ozmun
Abortion And Harm To Children: Limits On Television Political Advertisements, David Ozmun
Articles
Candidates wanting to air advertisements containing graphic depictions of aborted fetuses presented television stations with a dilemma. Sections 312(a)(7) and 315(a) of the Communications Act prevent broadcasters from censoring or restricting the political advertisements of legally qualified candidates seeking federal office. Under the United States Criminal Code, broadcasting material deemed indecent may result in penalties. Also, the Federal Communications Commission and courts have expressed concern about "harm to children" caused by televised material. While the FCC disagreed with a district court judge's ruling that political ads containing depictions of aborted fetuses were indecent, it did affirm a broadcast licensee's right …