Waxhaw’s own FCC chief, Charlotte Catholic alum, UNC alum, and all-around great guy — just ask him — Kevin Martin has declared himself censor-in-chief for America. How else to explain Martin’s push for Congress to give the FCC “authority” to regulate cable TV content?

I’ll tell you how — Martin and the FCC are shilling for the broadcast nets who are trying to blunt what they perceive to be a competitive advantage the cable guys have in offering violent programming which is beyond the reach of the FCC. You see, the FCC views itself as the nation’s great communications balance knob — its job is to micromanage markets until everything is just right. Right now, the perception is that the broadcast guys need help — at least until they fully move into the over-the-air digital and HD world in the next few years.

So slapping cable with new programming restrictions — even if they are likely to be ultimately overturned by a court — is all good from the FCC’s point of view. Both sides of the industry remain dependent on and captured by the FCC — a guarantee that former FCC types will always have green places to land.

This is also why it is important to pay no attention to the spew about parents not having a enough control over TV programming. It is called a V-chip, been in every TV since 1996. Then there even more layers of control to be found cable set-top boxes. In fact, ignore the whole “for the children” angle.

This has nothing to do with TV watching children. Or adults. Just everything to do with regulatory politics and symbiotic relationships between regulator and the regulated.