A four-letter word can become a $1 million problem in TV these days, but Enco Systems is selling a solution: the "Bleepinator."
At the National Association of Broadcasters big convention last week, the tiny Southfield, Mich., firm unveiled a product that promises to clean up language by blending voice-recognition software with filtering technology. A producer can type any combination of profane words into a program, which will then automatically bleep or mute out the foul language as it occurs on-air.
The unit--also known internally as the "profanity blaster"--can also ban certain words in some dayparts but not others. "It's hard to do a sports show without saying the word 'balls' once in a while," says Don Backus, vice president, sales and marketing, at Enco, which hopes to license the technology for tv applications.
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The gadget, selling under the brand name Guardien was originally designed for radio, particularly the saltier language of shock-jock shows during morning drive.
The device drew "nonstop" traffic through the Enco booth last week, including executives of Clear Channel and Infinity. Priced at $10,000, roughly 40 units will begin shipping next month.
Among the handful of high-powered Washington power players who stopped by: FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein. Says Backus, "He said the FCC really doesn't like doing this stuff [issuing big fines] and this could make his job easier."
