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Light On Light Through


You'll hear a little of this and lot of that on Light On Light Through - my reviews of great television series and movies, my interviews with authors and creative media people and their interviews of me, my media theory and political commentary, thoughts about my favorite cars and food and space travel, discussions of my music, and a few of my readings from my science fiction stories. In the first years, starting in 2006, I put up a new episode at least once a month.  More recently, it became more or less often than once a month, usually less often.  But in the Summer of 2020, I began getting more in the mood to podcast, and on 17 October 2023, I began publishing a new episode of the podcast every Tuesday at 12:01 pm -- a minute after Noon (New York time).  - Paul Levinson 

24 October 2021: Interview about Light On Light Through podcast

26 December 2023: Chuck Todd interviews Paul Levinson about Alternate Realities on The Chuck Toddcast  

Jan 28, 2007

Welcome to Episode 19 of Light On Light Through in which we consider How Goes the Ship of Free Speech? The ancient Greeks called it parrhesia, and loved it so much they named ships after it.  How is the ship of free expression faring in our world today?  Well, here in the U.S.A., as we near the anniversary of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during Superbowl halftime several years ago, the answer is: not so good.  The FCC has levied record fines against broadcasters deemed to have presented objectionable material.  Both parties in Congress have cried out for larger fines, and extension of FCC control to cable.  All of this in the face of our First Amendment, which clearly says "Congress shall make no law ... abridging freedom of speech..."  The one bit of good news?  We have podcasting, which so far has been beyond anyone's ability to control...

And speaking of podcasting, and looking at the bright side, I talk about various projects I'm happy to be involved in with Shaun Farrell, and Tee Morris, at the end of this episode...

Helpful links:

  1. I debate Brent Bozell about free speech.  He was head of the Parents Television Council - which, according to Todd Shield's article in the December 04 Mediaweek, was responsible for 50% of the complaints received by the FCC about the Janet Jackson "costume reveal". 
  2. Athenian triremes named after abstract concepts (such as free speech)

Enjoy...

Paul

web: http://paullevinson.info
blog: http://paullevinson.blogspot.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006
Light On Light Through podcast: http://paullev.libsyn.com

Ask Lev 2-5 min pieces of advice on writing, succeeding, and tea

The Plot to Save Socrates - my latest novel
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News