'THE BEDFORD DIARIES' Levinson blames FCC for censored show

The FCC is continuing its crackdown on indecency.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Barry Levinson said he doesn't blame the WB network for airing a censored debut episode of his drama revolving around a college class on sexuality. He holds the Federal Communications Commission responsible.
"We don't believe that the show should have been edited, but the network is very fearful of what the FCC has been doing recently," Levinson said Thursday. "They're intimidating the networks and levying these fines, so the networks are not sure of what they can or can't do."
"The Bedford Diaries," set to premiere 9 p.m. EST Wednesday, will air minus scenes of two girls kissing and a girl opening her jeans, said Levinson, a prominent producer-director whose film credits include "Rain Man," "The Natural" and "Diner."
The network, which has used the Internet before to promote new series, is streaming a full, uncut version of the pilot on its Web site. The cast includes Matthew Modine, Milo Ventimiglia and Audra McDonald.
Crackdown
Last week, the government renewed its crackdown on what it considers indecency in television by proposing $3.9 million in new fines, including a record $3.6 million fine involving the depiction of a teenage sexual orgy on CBS' "Without a Trace."
The FCC also upheld its $550,000 fine against CBS stations for Janet Jackson's 2004 Super Bowl flash of nudity.
Levinson said he and fellow executive producers Tom Fontana ("Homicide: Life on the Street," "Oz") and Julie Martin had already delivered what they and WB agreed was the final cut of "The Bedford Diaries" when the FCC fines prompted WB's second thoughts.
The producers refused to make further edits because they were "out of the bounds of logic we could understand," Levinson said.
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