ICC

"Erotica S.F." Cable TV Program



Description of the Art Work

The leased access cable television program "Erotica S.F.," the public access cable television programs "Wax Lips," and "Museo Contempo," and other public access programs.

Description of incident

Madeleine Altmann and Michael Freeman,were producers of the leased access cable television program "Erotica S.F." Also co-plaintiffs in the case, Jennifer Locke and Rodney O'Neal Austin producers of the public access cable television program "Wax Lips," Thomas Inoue, producer of the public access cable television program "Museo Contempo," and cable viewers John Kaman and Kristin Atkins, on behalf of themselves and the public.

Censorsing bodies were Television Signal Corporation, d.b.a.sion series Erotica SF, joined in a suit on behalf of the public against Viacom Cable for violating their First Amendment rights. The producers allege that Viacom Cable violated the Cable Act of 1984, the First Amendment and Viacom's own contract by cancelling their cable television series. The suit also alleges that Viacom illegally censored several other programs scheduled for playback on the public access channel. Public and leased access cable channels were established by congress to be "electronic soapboxes," channels free of editorial control or censorship by cable operators or government.

Erotica SF, a television series which played oall access channels, it also prevents the government from deputizing cable operators with the power to effect such a ban."

Erotica SF does not meet the legal definition of indecent as "patently offensive by contemporary community standards."

The November episode of Erotica SF which aired once on November 17, 1993 before the series was cannians Against Censorship and scenes from the Exotic Erotic Ball and the Fetish Fantasy Ball.

On April 1, 1994 the United States District Court for the Northern District of California ordered Viacom to cease all censorship of public access programming, but allowed for scra award winning video artist-producer Madeleine and Mike Freeman, whose background includes over ten years of professional experience working with local cable channels. ve television series for the Bay Area.

Results of incident

The cable company has refused to reschedule the program despite a recent Federal Appeals Court decision that states "We hold that not only does the first amendment prohibit government from banning all indecent speech from all access channels, it also prevents the government from deputizing cable operators with the power to effect such a ban."

Erotica SF does not meet the legal definition of indecent as "patently offensive by contemporary community standards."

The November episode of Erotica SF which aired once on November 17, 1993 before the series was cancelled, featured mythologist Cosi Fabian discussing sacred prostitutes, erotic video producer Veronica Monet, porn star Shanna McCullough, experimental film and videomaker Michelle Handelman, censorship updates with Bobby Lilly of Californian's Against Censorship and scenes from the Exotic Erotic Ball and the Fetish Fantasy Ball.

On April 1, 1994 the United States District Court for the Northern District of California ordered Viacom to cease all censorship of public access programming, but allowed for scrambling of the signal of "indecent" leased access programs under certain conditions.

The series is produced by award winning video artist-producer Madeleine and Mike Freeman, whose background includes over ten years of professional experience working with local cable channels.

The case will be heard again on May 13, 1994.

Show your support by contacting: Oranj Productions 499 Alabama Street, Box 307 San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 861-4101 (voice) (415) 487-0759 (fax)


Source: Oranj Productions


Go to main categories

Record no 402