MARYLAND - After more than three years of discussing and debating, Blair High School finally has accepted a broadcasting guideline and regulation proposal for their student television station.

Although Bob Becker, a media attorney representing the Washington Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, says he is not sure the new regulations, which appear to be only minor alterations to an earlier rejected draft, will steer clear of future controversies. But the students and administrators are satisfied that a guideline finally exists.

The need for guidelines developed after the student produced talk show series, Shades of Grey, shot an episode about same sex marriages in 1996, and the superintendent refused to air it. The students responded by filing a complaint.

A proposal for broadcast programming was introduced during a September school board meeting, but was not passed because of disagreements over how much control the administration should have over the show and what type of content would be deemed appropriate.

The plan that did pass, however, consists of minor revisions from the first plan. The provision that stated "Programs/tapes will be unacceptable for cablecasting ... [if] the program contains language that is disrespectful, verbally abusive, or insensitive to others" was deleted "to promote consistency in the application of the guidelines," wrote Superintendent Paul Vance to the Board of Education.

However, the policy still prohibits students to air programs that "as a whole or in significant part, condone harassment, physical violence or illegal discrimination toward any person."