As 2013 closes and we look forward to a new year, I wanted to thank all of our members for their generosity and support. I would like to thank the members of our Board of directors for the countless volunteer hours and their tireless commitment. Finally, I would like to share just some of the projects on which your trade association worked.
Coordinate funding for Measure B Litigation
FSC helped bring together the litigation team that eventually sued LA County over Measure B, and coordinated the fundraising to fund the effort. We are almost to our goal and have been successful in raising over $200,000 so far from a number of different industry members so that no one company bears the brunt of the expense. Our lawsuit continues and the prospects are promising.
Pleasure Products anti-piracy/counterfeit pilot
Just as online piracy has slashed revenues for adult content, so has online counterfeit products cut into revenues for pleasure products. FSC partnered a top online anti-piracy company with two key pleasure products companies to create a pilot for closing down counterfeit products online. Results of this pilot will be announced at FSC’s Summit at the XBIZ conference in January.
Block AB 332 and AB 640
FSC worked extensively with industry members, lobbyist and coalition partners to kill California Assembly Bill 332 which would mandate barrier protection and many over-burdensome record-keeping, training and vaccine requirements for the adult production community. AB 332 died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and AB 640 never made it to the floor in the Senate.
PASS (Performer Availability Screening Services)
FSC worked with its PASS testing facilities and Medical Advisory Board to ensure that performers received state-of-the-art testing and preventative care. This year three performers contracted HIV in their personal lives. Because of the protocols in place and the systems established, we were able to quickly identify and isolate the infections so that no transmission occurred on set. Our doctors monitored the situation and decisions were able to determine when and how to call and lift the industry moratorium based on solid medical principles.
2257 Litigation
We in the adult products and entertainment industry know that 2257 is overbroad and over-burdensome. That it requires “secondary producers” to keep records that in some cases are impossible with which to comply. This is FSC’s last opportunity to strike 2257 down and our attorneys are fighting a valiant and brilliant fight. We are in the appeal phase of the litigation and our case will go before an appellate panel that has ruled in our favor in the past. It is likely that this issue will be settled once and for all in 2014. We have fought a long and expensive battle and have taken on this case so that no one company will have to bear the burden.
UK anti-censorship
On December 12th, the UK government’s internet oversight entity ATVOD (Authority for Television On Demand) is holding a conference entitled “For Adults Only-protecting children from online porn.” FSC was asked to be on a panel at that conference where we will present to UK policy makers. What is interesting about this conference is that it is obvious that the folks at ATVOD are using this this venue to promote the UK Prime Minister Cameron’s pro-censorship agenda. FSC has coordinated a PR campaign with UK adult industry members to inform Brits of about government censorship and build a base of opposition to unwarranted and overreaching government regulation.
COE (Code of Ethics)
A few years ago in with a great deal of feedback from the industry, FSC created a Code of Ethics (COE) for the Pleasure Products and adult entertainment industry. In January FSC will provide industry members with the opportunity to sign on to the COE and display the COE seal of excellence on their website, store and place of business. We know that our industry members have high standards and values—now it’s time to tell the rest of the world.
FSC Summit
Working in conjunction with XBIZ, FSC coordinates the FSC Summit designed to educate pleasure products and adult content professionals on current events impacting their industries. Last year FSC brought lobbyist, PR professionals, and attorneys together with industry professionals to discuss…Measure B what now? This year we will have the CEO of Film LA, CalOSHA lobbyists, a Measure B attorney and more facilitating a discussion on the status of 2014 California Content Production. In addition, we will announce the results of a groundbreaking anti-online counterfeit pilot for pleasure products.
CalOSHA
CalOSHA has paid visits to a number of content providers’ places of business—mostly due to bogus claims made by Mike Weinstein of AHF. FSC has assisted members who have been visited and helped them navigate what to do when CalOSHA comes calling. Additionally FSC has a CalOSHA lobbyist who is working to prevent restrictive regulations from moving forward and helps the industry organize around this complicated rule-making process.
Voice for the industry with media and elected officials
FSC has met with numerous state and federal lawmakers and regulators. We have organized editorial board meetings and interviewed with countless local national and international media. We have built relationships with coalition partners like the Valley Industry and Commerce Association and Electronic Freedom Foundation and have friends who are now willing to stand up for us in public. FSC is a voice for the industry, we will defend your rights and advocate for better business opportunities. We have your back.
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
