CBS's failure in judgment
WE AMERICANS need to rethink whether CBS and its parent company Viacom should continue to be trusted to broadcast on our publicly owned airwaves. First, CBS turned down an ad by MoveOn.org discussing the budget deficit because it was too controversial for the Super Bowl. Then it proceeded to air an obscene halftime show produced by MTV. The show included Nelly urging women to take off all their clothes, and Janet Jackson performing with dancers wearing leather fetish outfits and lingerie, and then closing her performance by exposing her breast. MTV's website promised on Jan. 28 that Jackson's performance would include shocking moments, so it is clear that this was planned.
CBS deliberately suppressed and censored political speech and public discourse, the core reason behind the First Amendment, yet saw fit to air sexually exploitive performances during a family event. We cannot tolerate such failures in judgment.
CHRISTINE BOLZAN
Beverly
