The FCC responded with a public notice as a reminder to radio station licensees of their responsibility to serve the public interest and become familiar with lyric content. Broadcasters were to review all records before they were broadcast. (FCC) While the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the FCC notice and later the clarifying order, the court also ruled that the penalties were unreasonable. If a station did not understand obscene lyrics, then it could not be penalized. (Szatmary) The FCC notice included 22 songs with drug-oriented lyrics, included Peter, Paul, and Mary's "Puff the Magic Dragon" and the Beatles' "I Get By With A Little From My Friends," and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." Their "do not play list" songs lost broadcast access and were in effect censored. (Nuzum "Parental")
By 1983, censorship groups had begun to form and take aim at the record industry. It was during this time that record warning labels developed in response to these groups, thanks to the PMRC. (Gore, Tipper 91) |
