By Stacy Perlman

As Clear Channel Communications starts pulling Howard Stern off the air waves and fines for indecent programming begin to rise, the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) war on indecency is gaining momentum.

Over a half-million complaints concerning the bearing of Janet Jackson’s breast during the Super Bowl half-time show were made to the FCC, resulting in steeper fines for indecent programming and pressure on media outlets to be more cautious about what makes it on the air.

The House of Representatives voted 321-22 on March 11 to raise the maximum fine for indecent programming from $27,500 to $500,000. However, according to a March 11 Associated Press article, these fines are not big enough to affect large media companies. Smaller media outlets like college radio stations don’t seem overly concerned.

“It’s not really much of an issue here,” said Brian Doyle, the co-music director for Boston College’s student-run radio station, 90.3 FM WZCB. He said the FCC wouldn’t make an example out of such a small station and the rules aren’t that stringent.

One of the FCC and federal law regulations is that any offensive material such as sexual and excretory functions is prohibited on television and radio stations between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., when children are more likely to tune in. Doyle said he thinks this rule is “fairly reasonable.”

While it isn’t overly concerned with the FCC’s new fines, 104.9 FM WRBB, Northeastern’s student-run radio station is still cautious about what makes it on the air.

“Our biggest concern is not offending Northeastern,” said WRBB’s general manager, Amanda Irons, a senior communications major.

Irons said they have had trouble in the past with vulgarity, resulting in suspension and banning.

“This is a college radio station, yes, but you can’t get away with it because you will get in trouble,” Irons said in reference to the suspensions and bans the station has dealt with.

She said while they are concerned with FCC regulations, they are not overly concerned their programming is indecent.

In a Feb. 25 press release, John Hogan, president and CEO of Clear Channel, announced. Howard Stern’s radio show will not be aired on Clear Channel radio stations, “until we are assured that his show will conform to acceptable standards of responsible broadcasting.”

Hogan commented in that same press release that Stern’s show is “vulgar, offensive and insulting, not just to women and African Americans but to anyone with a sense of common decency.”

Some people find it easy enough to just turn off programming they do not like. Although she is not a fan of the Howard Stern Show, Emily Rodriguez, a sophomore entrepreneurship and marketing major and promotions director at WRBB, said that she does not feel it was necessary to pull Stern from the airwaves. She said if people find something offensive, then they don’t have to listen to or watch it, they can simply turn it off.

However, parents are concerned about what children are listening to and viewing.

Parents can not monitor their children every hour of the day and are therefore concerned about what their children are watching and listening to, said Justin King, a junior electrical engineering major and engineering director for WRBB. King does understand the parental concerns in the ongoing decency debate but does not agree with the decision to pull Stern’s show from the air.

Some feel that the FCC is missing an even bigger message.

“I definitely think there is a problem with what is shown as entertainment but I don’t think it’s the indecency. It’s the attitudes,” said Megan McKee, a freshman international affairs major.

McKee said television portrays a way of life that is completely different from reality and focuses too much on what materials people need to buy and how a person is supposed to look.

As far as there being too much sex on television, she said there is too much suppression.

“In Europe sexuality is not so suppressed. It’s a body, a natural human thing,” she said

McKee feels the newly approved fines will threaten creativity because of fear.

“That seems pretty scary. Creativity will be severely diminishing,” she said.

Some feel that although the fines for indecent programming may seem high, it may just do the trick.

“It is a little high, but it will make TV and radio stations think a little more about what they put on the air,” said Amy Sullo, a junior marketing major.

While many parents were angered over the exposure of Janet Jackson’s breast, some weren’t even aware it happened.

“I didn’t even notice until they mentioned it on the news,” said Sullo said, who watched the Super Bowl half-time show on Feb. 1. “They made a bigger deal about it than they should have. I didn’t find it offensive but I can see how parents would find it very offensive.”

The debate as to whether the half-time show stunt was planned or if it was a “wardrobe malfunction” still continues.

“I don’t think she intentionally did it,” said Matthew Cupka, a middler mechanical engineering major. “Accidents happen.”

McKee feels opposite.

“It’s a part of entertainment. It was designed to make us feel shocked. We need to move away from this one incident. Seeing a breast isn’t so bad.”

Whether or not people view the stunt as planned or as an accident, the FCC is continuing to crackdown on indecency, but some wonder how long that will last.

“It’s a big issue right now,” said Steve Ferreira, the urban music director for WRBB. “But I definitely see it dying out.”