FCC to consider banning broadcasters from saying ‘Redskins’

The Federal Communications Commission has received a petition asking it to punish broadcasters that use the word “Redskins,” which just happens to be the name of the NFL team in Washington, D.C.

“We’ll be looking at that petition, we will be dealing with that issue on the merits and we’ll be responding accordingly,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler told reporters.

Well, that doesn’t sound like that big of a deal. They’ll look into it ... and then life will continue as always, with owner Dan Snyder not caring in the least if some Native Americans are offended by his team’s name or not, right?

“There are a lot of names and descriptions that were used over time that are inappropriate today,” Wheeler added. “And I think the name that is attributed to the Washington football club is one of those.”

Hmmm. Well, on second thought, things might get a bit tricky for anyone assigned with covering or who feels like chatting on air about the D.C. football team. Pretty hard to talk about something if you can’t refer to it by name. Who knows, maybe that might get Snyder’s attention.

The petition came from legal activist John Banzhaf III, who asked that local radio station WWXX-FM be stripped of its broadcasting license when it comes up for renewal because of its use of the name “Redskins.”

According to Banzhaf, use of the word is “akin to broadcasting obscenity.” Reuters also says he described it as racist, derogatory, profane and hateful.

TV analysts Phil Simms and Tony Dungy have said they will try to refrain from using the word Redskins, while the Washington Post editorial board has made the same promise (although the word appears elsewhere in the paper, including the sports section).

Twitter: @chewkiii