Court Tosses Super Bowl Fine

Fox battles the FCC in next big court case

(NEWSER) - The Supreme Court might take up a gavel in one hand and a bar of soap in the other next term, when it considers a case challenging the FCC’s “fleeting utterances” standards, it announced today. The FCC is appealing a lower-court ruling—which arose when Cher dropped an F-bomb during a 2002 Fox broadcast—that it has failed to “articulate a reasoned basis” for the rules. More»

CBS challenges FCC fine for Jackson Super Bowl mishap

(NEWSER) - Almost 4 years after Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl halftime show, a federal appeals court is being asked to decide whether the incident was indecent or a fluke. The FCC fined CBS $550,000; the network argues the penalty is out of line. It's also having a "deeply censorious effect" on American broadcasting, said a CBS attorney. More»

(NEWSER) - The Supreme Court today ordered a federal appeals court to consider reinstating a fine against CBS for Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction, the AP reports. The appeals court had ruled that the glimpse of Jackson’s breast, which lasted nine-sixteenths of a second, should have been considered “fleeting,” and hence not eligible for a fine. More»

Agency encouraged by Fox obscenity case

(NEWSER) - The FCC is continuing to push the "wardrobe malfunction" case and has turned to the Supreme Court, Broadcasting & Cable reports. The agency is attempting to have its $550,000 fine reinstated against CBS for Janet Jackson’s disrobing during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. A federal appeals court threw out the fine in July. More»

Broadcasters can't be punished for airing "fleeting expletives"

(NEWSER) - Networks that accidentally air profanity got a major break from a US appeals court yesterday when the court shot down an FCC regulation that punishes them for airing even "fleeting expletives." The court said some of the FCC's indecency rules were "divorced from reality" and sent them back to the agency for clarification. More»