Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1977

Duration: 00:27:57

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | ACLU | Obscenity (Law) | PORNOGRAPHY | Pornographic magazines | Community standards

Contributors:

• George, Beth Host
• Godoy, Al Photographer
• Womack, Ellison Photographer
• George, Beth Producer
• Mitchell, Gene Producer
• Mitchell, Gene Director
• Roeder, Marlene Panelist
• Durant, Larry Panelist
• Ware, Ed Panelist

An episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from 1977 featuring a panel discussion of Louisiana’s obscenity law with Marlene Roeder, the Louisiana Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Larry Durant, an attorney, and Ed Ware, the District Attorney in Rapides Parish. The panel discusses the obscenity law that was ruled constitutional by the Louisiana Supreme Court; who determines the “community standards” by which material is considered obscene; a judge ruling that pornographic magazines are obscene and taking them off the shelf; the complaints made by some people after buying the issue of “Playboy” featuring an interview with presidential candidate Jimmy Carter; what constitutes obscenity; works of art that were previously deemed obscene; the effect of obscenity on juveniles; and Ware’s attempt at banning the film “The Last Picture Show” in Alexandria because he considered it obscene. Host: Beth George