Broadcast Delay

In radio and television, the notion of a broadcast delay refers to the practice of purposefully delaying the transmission of a live broadcast. These few second delays have been deemed necessary to prevent profanity, violence, wardrobe malfunctions, or other unsuitable material from airing. Of course, the necessity for including such delays has been learned through painful experience. Think back to Bono on the Golden Globes, Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl, and any utterance by Howard Stern. It is clear that if you give folks an inch, they will take a mile, whether through purposeful intention or ill-breeding.

Get the ... bleep ... out of this ... bleeping... place you say? Well, I have said enough absolutely inane, ill-considered, stupid, and hurtful things to others in my lifetime to sink a moderately sized ocean-going vessel. If only I came outfitted with my own personal FCC agent with a nervous finger lingering over the button, this world would likely be a better place. From inner city dump to a sparkling land of rainbows and pleasant unicorns. Imagine that just when you utter some nasty, negative garbage, your handy-dandy personal content monitor (aka censor) would make sure that nobody heard your foolish utterances. Oh, how I would definitely pay for such a service.

However, that is not reality. Most of us seem to be lacking a content filter. Too often we say things that offend and hurt others. But with each occurence we have a chance to make at least two changes for the positive:

• Learn from our mistake and work to improve.
  
• Make amends to those we have affected.