Think of the children!

Leading lawmakers and the new leader of the FCC have proposed a broad expansion of indecency rules, which were significantly toughened just last year. They are also looking for significant increases in the size of fines and new procedures that could jeopardize the licenses of stations that repeatedly violate the rules.

Some senior lawmakers have suggested it may be time to extend the indecency and profanity rules to cable and satellite television providers. Lawyers for cable companies say any effort to impose indecency standards on paid programming would violate the First Amendment.

"I would welcome voluntary actions by the industry to address both indecency and gratuitous violence, but they aren't stepping up to the plate, and that's why Congress cannot wait any longer to protect our communities and our families," Mr. Rockefeller said when he introduced the measure. "If the industry won't protect our children from gratuitous violence and indecency, then we must act."

Under New Chief, FCC Considers Widening Its Reach