Posted on: Thursday, November 11, 2004

KITV won't air 'Saving Private Ryan'

By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

KITV 4 has decided it will not air "Saving Private Ryan" tonight, citing concerns about the Federal Communications Commission's crackdown on lewdness and profanity in the wake of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at last year's Super Bowl.

KITV general manager Mike Rosenberg said ABC's decision to schedule the uncensored film on Veterans Day put KITV and other network affiliates in an "untenable position."

"The FCC has shown that it will come down hard on profanity, whether it is in context or not," said Rosenberg, who noted that characters in the film use the "F-word" 47 times. "The profanity in this movie is in context, but we can't take the chance (on airing it)."

Rosenberg said he was less concerned about a possible fine than about protecting the station's license.

The network, which has aired the film twice before, rebuffed Rosenberg's earlier suggestion that KITV pre-empt the news and shuffle its programming to air the film at 10 p.m.