Unexpurgated song spurs protest

A parent group has accused the ABC television network of violating broadcast decency standards when it failed to censor all profanity uttered during the recent Live 8 concert, an event held to draw attention to poverty in poor countries.

The Parents Television Council, which has filed numerous complaints about potentially indecent material on television, asked the Federal Communications Commission to levy a fine on ABC stations for failing to censor the July 2 performance of “Who Are You” by the Who.

U.S. law bars radio and television broadcasters from airing obscene material and limits them to airing indecent material, typically profanity or sexually explicit content, to late-night hours when children are less likely to be in the audience.

“Unfortunately, one inappropriate phrase sung by one performer was initially missed and made it into the East Coast network feed,” ABC said in a statement. “It was subsequently edited out of the West Coast feed.”