I know it’s old news, but Michael Powell is leaving the FCC and all I can say is good riddance.

Michael K. Powell has tackled thorny issues involving media ownership rules, phone competition and the Internet as the nation’s top communications regulator, but a “wardrobe malfunction” got him the most attention.

Powell announced Friday that he will step down in March as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, culminating a four-year tenure in which the Republican-controlled agency championed a generally pro-business agenda and dramatically stepped up enforcement of broadcast indecency standards.
. . .
The FCC received more than 1 million indecency complaints in 2004, most of them involving the exposure of Jackson’s breast during her performance. Fines for indecent programming exceeded $7.7 million last year, a huge increase from the $48,000 imposed the year before Powell became chairman.

As a result, programmers have become more skittish about what may or may not be construed as too racy. Some networks have started using a broadcast delay on live programs to catch any offensive material before it aired. Last year, 66 ABC affiliates decided not to air the movie “Saving Private Ryan” on Veterans Day over similar fears.

Now I’ve got no problem with protecting the public airwaves, keeping obscene material away from minors, and all that other mumbo-jumbo and I mostly agree that heavy fines are probably the best way to get the money-obsessed entertainment industry to pay attention.

That said, this isn’t what we’re looking at with the FCC. Their intentions may be noble, but the bloated government bureaucracy (Are liberals allowed to use words like these?) has become so inefficient that they’re levying multi-million dollar fines over the objections of a few prudes. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about that’s an embarrassment :

A clutch of complaints by U.S. viewers that the Athens Olympics opening ceremony featured lewd nudity has incensed the Games chief, who warned American regulators to back off from policing ancient Greek culture.

Gianna Angelopoulos warned the Federal Communications Commission watchdog, sensitive after a deluge of outrage when singer Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed at a Super Bowl game, not to punish NBC television that aired the Games.

Male nudity, a woman’s breast and simulated sex were the subjects of shrill complaints about the opening ceremony on August 13 which were posted by the FCC on its Web site.

“Far from being indecent, the opening ceremonies were beautiful, enlightening, uplifting and enjoyable,” Angelopoulos wrote in a weekend commentary in the Los Angeles Times titled “Since When is Greece’s Culture Obscene?”

“Greece does not wish to be drawn into an American culture war. Yet that is exactly what is happening,” she said.

Complaints focused on a parade of actors portraying naked statues. Among them were the Satyr and the nude Kouros male statues, both emblems of ancient Greece’s golden age.

This isn’t a talk show giggling at the term “salad tossing” here, but a celebration of Greek culture. Yet a few assholes (nine, to be exact) who are ignorant and sheltered enough to think any nudity is pornography are having their complaints taken seriously by the Federal Communications Commission. That’s Michael Powell’s FCC in action and that’s why I can’t wait for him to leave.