— The invention of the first "bleep" machine, actually a switch that would play a phonograph instead of live broadcast, is invented after Vaudeville actress Olga Petrova appears on Newark radio station WJZ. She scared them into coming up with the idea after making an oblique reference to the need for birth control, which violated the Comstock Laws.— The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, a trade organization, adopts the Production Code (a.k.a. the Hays Code), banning such things as scenes of adultery, acts of revenge in modern times, and profanity in word, gesture, or suggestion. In 1934, under pressure from the Catholic Church, the MPPDA creates the Production Code Administration to enforce the code . Movies that violate the code cannot be shown in American theaters.— The Communications Act of 1934 dismantles the Federal Radio Commission and replaces it with the Federal Communications Commission.— The use of swear words among young soldiers in World Wars I and II expands considerably, and, for better or worse, is brought back home. Two British films use the word "fuck": Ulysses (an adaptation of the James Joyce book that had on occasion been banned for its use of profanity) and I'll Never Forget What's'isname.— The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA, formerly the MPPDA), under the guidance of President Jack Valenti, ditches the Production Code in favor of a voluntary system that consisted of the ratings : G, M, R, and X. To this day, many accuse the MPAA of bias toward the major studios, especially since its specific guidelines are not available to the public.— M*A*S*H is the first American movie to use the word, and it comes just once, not even during battle but in the midst of a football game.— Influenced by the late, oft-banned comic Lenny Bruce, George Carlin releases the album Class Clown, featuring his famous stand-up routine, "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television."— Carlin releases Occupation: Foole, which contains the track "Filthy Words," a continuation of the " Seven Words " theme. New York radio station WBAI plays it unedited, leading to the 1978 Supreme Court ruling FCC vs. Pacifica Foundation (the station's owner).— Carlin's stand-up airs on the revolutionary new pay cable channel, Home Box Office, basically redefining the "Seven Words" as ones you can't say on broadcast television. Meanwhile, all those worried watchdogs do have a point about the impact of the routine: An entire generation of comedians and writers cite him as an inspiration for their careers.— The Supreme Court rules in favor of the FCC in FCC vs. Pacifica Foundation, solidifying the commission's right to fine broadcast radio and TV stations for "indecent" content, despite the First Amendment, because: children. It also establishes the so-called "safe harbor" hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., when indecency can run rampant, as long as advertisers want to pay for it. The original Battlestar Galactica series airs on ABC, introducing the world to the fake expletive "frak," which became much more popular with the Sci-Fi (now SyFy) show from 2004 to 2009. This was long before "fracking" became a legit bad word to environmental activists.— After being criticized for the fact that PG-rated Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Gremlins were inappropriate for younger children, Steven Spielberg suggests the invention of a PG-13 rating. Though there are exceptions, the use of one "fuck" in a nonsexual context is okay for PG-13, but any more can raise it to an R, unless filmmakers appeal. Some PG-13 movies make really good use of their one instance, though.