With brave soldiers dying in Iraq you think congress could find better things to do with their time.

So far, Banner is the most powerful witness... EVER.

Nightwng2000
NW2K software

Quick Question: Are there any intelligent people in this?

Or are they all just there to hand out a good load of bollocks for their campaigns? I'm betting on the latter.

It's also an interesting statement that the senator was complaining about the negatives in the music and asking what the artists could do to make it more positive. But, at the same time, the senator ignored that while he is going to work everyday doing what HE thinks is positive for others, not everyone sees his actions as positive upon their lives. And it sounds like, in his opinion, if it turns out bad, it's the White House's fault, not his own bad decisions.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Fay Williams, National Congress of Black Women

Rails against “filthy derogatory, offensive language.”

Children are assaulted daily with garbage under the guise of the First Amendment.

There is a right to free speech, but there is also a responsibility to refrain from denigrating a race and black women in particular.

Black women are embarrassed and humiliated by depictions on television and in videos.

“Rights without responsibility should be labeled ‘anarchy’.” Congress should insist on responsibility and force the FCC and FTC to take action.

Dr. Karen Dill, Lenoir-Rhyne College

Parents don’t want to believe that child playing violent video game would have a negative effect. She says that response of video game players who maintain “I’ve played violent video games for years, and I have never shot anyone” misses the point. The point is that entertainment creates a culture, and you cannot turn off our culture.

There is freedom of expression, but there is no freedom from consequences of that expression.

Calls for more research on impact of media violence and images and a media education curriculum in schools.

Now to Q&A

erik, whatever. Not everything has to be about soldiers. There's only so much legislating you can do before it doesn't help. That said, this theme is getting old.

Lavarock, I agree everything is not about soldiers but they could still find something more impotent do with their time.(Like getting rid of our national debt)

Oh, wow! They've actually got someone from a college in Hickory, NC to testify! Wowy wow wow!

Geez, talk about scrapping the bottom of the barrel. :/

Luckily, there hasn't been a lot of work lately so I might be able to actually get to hear this.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Wow, what an absolute waste of taxpayers money this is. I can think of way better things to use it on then a congressional hearing that reeks of finding a way to censor popular entertainment. I'm really, really sick of the Democrats and Republicans. Both parties suck. They're way to pro-censorship and anti-free speech. If they had their way we might as well just erase the First Amendment from the Constitution.

wow, i didn't know Hickory had TWO comedians.

Hm, I seem to recall someone who said they'll also be testifying. But I don't see his name up there! Oh where oh where oh where could he be? :P

Sheeze, you'd think they'd start transmitting around 10 minutes til.
Nothing yet.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Too bad I will miss this. Hopefully they will make the video available for all our viewing pleasure.

Oh ok. I know sometimes the sound cuts out.

Does anyone else have a Michael Corleone moment when they look at Strauss? The senate hearing in the Godfather II..

Uh, that's the guy from NY before the guy from TX.

Nightwng2000
NW2K software

It's congress' job to investigate "moral failings"?

I like the Rep from Cali, she says the real challenge is not getting the industry to provide parents with tools, but rather clueing in parents that the tools are there.

She's also in favor of not restricting speech, but rather promoting "positive" messages to counter negative ones.

someone record it for me. work prevents me from listening.

Sorry, BET, not BT...

UMG Pres. Doug Morris but after he speaks, there'll be a recess so the room can be used for some unrelated voting.

We don't deny that music doesn't influence culture. But who draws the line?

Not everyone will like or appreciate every work or every artist.

Artists push us to consider things we wouldn't necessarily consider.

Rap holds up the more disturbing elements of the human condition for scrutiny. The words used by some (B, H, and N words as he calls them) are prompting dialogues.

Someone else take over for me, I gotta run. :)

@Jabrwock and Nightwing 2000

Thanks for the play by play, I missed a bit of the beginning and Doug Morris' segment.

Also, I just wanted to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. I was totally expecting this to be a big witch hunt, but it turns out that a lot of the committee members seem to have a level head. In particular the two from New York and the guy that brought up the TV Boss commercials.

They all seemed very reasonable and well informed. They were all concerned about kids being exposed to inappropriate content, as any parent should, but took the opportunity to talk about parently controls and responsibilities, rather than legislation.

Also, this is what I love about coming here. I've never watched or listened to a Congressional Hearing in my life...yet here I am at my desk with my headphones in and waiting with baited breath. I just wanted to say thanks to Dennis for providing us with all the news and the updates, and the forum for concerned gamers to talk about them.

They still seem to be on a break.

And they're back.

Doh! "What about our daughters" list is out of order. The linked document they have, though, is correct. First Radio One, then Zelnick.

"Art is in the eye of the beholder"

Hey! That's MY line!

I want money!

:)

Just kidding. :)

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

"Would you benefit from a pledge to ban certain hurtful words?"

I like Radio One's position, that just banning words wouldn't stop them, as "renegade" artists who bypass the industry will still get the music to the public, and people will still buy it.

Oh good grief! The old "we pulled up in 15 seconds lyrics I don't like".

Nightwng2000
NW2K software

Has a producer "consulted" with an artist regarding certain language is not the same thing as telling the artist not to use it.

Merely asking the artist if they feel certain language is necessary to the product is not the same as telling them that no one will like them using it and, therefore, they can't use it.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Argh! Can't listen from work X.x

Huge thanks to Jabrwock and Nightwing for the coverage!

Rep from TN: We're not getting at the root causes. We probably wanted to have the media experts speak first, and then ask the industry reps questions based on those statements.

Your standards are based on your core values. How do you facilitate that? How do you choose your content (either produced or distribute), how do you vet this content within your company? Are you just money whores or do you consider the consequences?

Are you pressured by the internet, or affected by blame for unauthorized cuts making it to YouTube?

Rep from TN: How much of your budget is devoted to charity to combat the root causes of the issues your artists are speaking on?

She's not letting them give much in the way of answers.

Zelnick: we review quarterly, because our products take 2-3 years to develop.

The lady from TN is suggesting, by asking, that the companies should be putting a portion of their financies towards charities dealing with issues which the media may be responsible for causing. Well, that's what I got from her nonsense.

I also HATE this limited time to answer. She prattled on, asking several questions, then expected EVERYONE to answer within 1 minute and 10 seconds.

This isn't a serious information seeking committee but just something that the committee can throw out their opinions, put the witnesses on the spot, then leave without actually answers.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Yeah, answers are going along the lines of Pirates robbing us and we're being traded by pirates (on the internet over P2P and other sources) along side of pron.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

The gentleman from NY certainly seems well informed and has good points. It would be great if he could turn some of that in to questions.

NY Rep is telling UMG to bring theft up at a different time, that his point is that if an artist were to release his music legally on the web, that the industry couldn't stop it.

Chairman Rush: Given your business, and the limitations of your business, and the extraordinary power your business has over youth people. How do you become part of the solution?

UMG: Thinks this was a good opening to discussion.

Radio One: Markets tend to self-regulate. Tastes change. Hip Hop is waning, and it's not due to regulation, but rather the consumer getting "sick" of hearing the same stuff. The internet has taken away the ability to police or shield kids from images. Schools talking about pop culture would be a better place to start than trying to shut the internet 'barn door'. Discuss Britney Spears or songs like "F the police". Focus on education instead of bans.

Oh, whoops, I mean they're done questioning industry reps. Next panel is up.

"I sent 88 kids to camp to show them that opportunities are out there, and it was deemed 'not newsworthy', but if I had shot someone, it would have been front page."

Keep preaching!
If Hip Hop and Rap (and other forms of media) vanished, the problems would STILL be there.

If you're offended by the music, DON'T BUY THE MUSIC, TURN THE RADIO OFF!


Nightwng2000
NW2K software

"If we are not careful, we will end up in a dictatorship."

"I can admit there are problems in Hip Hop, but they reflect society. Hip Hop is sick, but that is because America is sick."

Sounded like Miller just wanted to suggest a "union" that would punish artists if they didn't fall in line. I'm not sure if he wants a MPAA/ESRB rating system that punishes artists or not.

Nightwng2000
NW2K software

Dr. Dyson: we need to recognize that black youth have been oppressed, and so hip hop is their only avenue for expression. he doesn't like positive vs. negative message, but rather complexity is important. merely condoning or being against certain messages accomplishes nothing.

"Arnold can be a governor after blowing up half of Cambodia, and Mars, and a bunch of preachers, but it's ok because he's an actor. But if Snoop talks about stuff happening in his neighborhood, that's wrong?"

Dr. Dyson: Hip hop shouldn't be exonerated, it has a right to be criticized. But it's foolish to focus on it. "Words are complex, meaning can be interpreted." Martin Luther King Jr. used the N' word, but he wasn't a self-hater trying to perpetuate the slavers meaning of that word. We are responsible for being educated.

BlackIce,
The two senators from NY, David Banner, and Dr. Dyson all seem to be the most intelligent people there. Not to dish on Take Two, but the artists are giving the best discussion points out there.

The senators from FL and TN are the big idiots on the panel.

Nightwng2000
NW2K software

Rep from Illinois: when you sing these words, are you concerned about the women who hear the derogatory words?

Ans: you use the words to describe your pain. context is important. yes in some way it's derogatory, but in other ways it's a form of comradery.

Rep: Asks if she just doesn't "get it" when it comes to what she sees as derogatory terms.

Dyson: Society in general promotes the same derogatory values towards women, but it just doesn't use the words that rap does.

It seems like they are just talking about music and derogatory words used within. From the cople of questions toward Zelnick and the GTA let's you rape women comments, there has been nothing else.

Have they discussed other media besides music?

Shoot! We can't even get away with Nigardly

Zachary,
The TV industry was there too.

Shouldn't be long before the "experts" panel comes up.

I agree about the double standard. And that's been argued in and out of government and society for a long time.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

@E. Zachary Knight

They occasionally bring up other media, but it's mostly "why do you promote bad black stereotypes in hip hop music?"

Exactly, Jabrwock. That speech about not all art has to be good was great.

It's a great point that negative expression does get people talking more than positive expression. Well, that's what I got out of it.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

I don't think that negative media of any kind should be censored in any way. The market will sort out what sells and what doesn't. I believe this has been the majority message of the non government people.

Ok, introductions to the 3rd panel.

Quite frankly, this whole hearing has been primarily devoted to Hip Hop is bad and blacks and women are the only victims of stereotypes and discrimination.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

AWOL,
Not a problem. Wish I was better at it.

The first "expert" really just blathered on in her opening statement. Giving us all sorts of history, even blaming Thomas Jefferson and his love for a slave girl, for the stereotypes over the centuries against black women. She went pretty fast, but eventually got to the point of blaming Hip Hop for the continuation of the stereotype, while pointing out numerous positive advancements for women and black women in particular.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Curses, and I can't get my connection to their stream re-established.

Anyone else wanna take a crack at play-by-play?

Okey dokey, that's it for me for a few hours.

Have a great afternoon/evening and supper. :)

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Dr. Andrew Rojecki, Univ of Illinois-Chicago, is up.

He talked about the social science regarding stereotypes.

“Don Imus did not coin the phrase” that got him in to trouble. Image was planted in his mind.

Largest audience for hip hop is white. Plays to subconscious images. It’s “catnip” for audience. Black experience provides vicarious thrills for white audiences.

@ DarkKnight

They won't legislate books. They are protected under the first amendment. ;)

Lisa Fager Bediako, President, Industry Ears

Her organization is dedicated to countering negative media images, particularly among children of color.

Real issue is that media conglomerates are gatekeepers of content and determine what people can see and hear. They do not represent diversity of society. What best serves the public interest and what serves the bottom line of corporations are not always the same thing.

Media conglomerates use freedom of speech to defend use of the n, b, and h words, but these same corporations censor anti-war speech, criticism of the government’s response to hurricane Katrina, etc.

She recommends a research study on the impact of degrading images on children.

Q from Rush: How do we effectively, as a society, intervene with the powerful psychological force that creates demeaning image of women?

Dr. Sharpley-Whiteling: Need to explore what masculinity means in America. There is a trend towards hyper-masculinity and, as a consequence, hyper-femininity. Hooters is just as offensive as certain aspects of hip hop culture.

Need to teach our daughters healthy self-images and what it means to be a woman.

Q from Rush: What do you mean that black cultural products provide “vicarious thrills” for white audiences?

Dr. Rojecki: It defines “coolness.”

Q from Rush: You say largest audience for hip hop is white, not urban blacks?

Dr. Rojecki: Yes. 50-70% of market for hip hop music is white. It has created a demand for images of black stereotypes, which black entertainers provide, and large corporations market.

Q from Rush: What can we do to counter images?

Faye Williams: We need to speak out about positive images in our culture. We need to hear voices of women. Men need to stand up and defend women.

Stop blaming parents. Many parents don’t know what to do. They have to work and cannot supervise their children. “It takes a village to raise a child.” We must all take responsibility.

Mass media has a responsibility to show positive side, not just put as down.

Need to look at the harm these images are doing.

Rush Conclusion:

Need to get into power relationships. Need to instruct young women not to accept disrespect by men.

These are serious issues we have been addressing. They are tearing the fabric of our community apart. Committee needs to engage in becoming part of solution.

Committee adjourns.

There will be no "results."

This was an "oversight" hearing; that is, it was looking at an issue generally, and not considering specific legislation.

There will be no “results.”

This was an “oversight” hearing; that is, it was looking at an issue generally, and not considering specific legislation.


There's definitely going to be one result. Everyone there is going to spin the results to their next audience and nothing good will come of it. Not that I'd expect anything else from a Congressional hearing on what's essentially the applicability of the first amendment to hot-button topics.

I'm sorry to bother you all, but who is minding Hell while Strauss Zelnick is before Congress? Hooah! Jack Thompson

To Jack Thompson:

What about your claims that you would be testifying at this hearing as well?

Oh thats right - you weren't invited to be a witness.

This hearing was for people who are relevant to the issues at hand.

Please go back to your corner and continue to file your useless lawsuits that provide all of us with countless hours of entertainment. Tell me - how did Rock* respond to your deadline you imposed?

LOL

@nightwing2000

Happy to pinch hit. And thanks to you and Jabrwok for your coverage.

That was a new experience for me, and it's tougher than it looks. I have a new appreciation for live bloggers.

@ Anonymous

He HAS been. He's not on the computer all day googling his name to see where he pops up like the real JT does. Dennis actually has a life. When a post from the real thing shows up, he simply edits it to note it as such to the other readers, sometimes writing a rebuttal to his claims in lieu of just saying 'Yeah it's him, have at him.' When it's not the real thing, he just deletes the post completely.

So is there going to be video or audio of this?

@JT

How goes your ban on Halo 3 in Florida?

Did you get Extra Life to stop their photoshop contest?

How did your "deadline" for R* go last week?