The FCC Wednesday decided to fine each of the 20 CBS-owned television stations $27,500, the maximum statutory penalty for broadcast indecency. The total penalty comes to $550,000, and is the largest fine the FCC has levied against a television broadcaster. The FCC's has imposed larger fines, but those have been against radio stations.
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TV Stations Fined for Janet Jackson Breast Flash
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pop singer Janet Jackson's bare breast flash earlier this year during the nationally televised Super Bowl football game will cost 20 CBS stations that aired it a combined $550,000 for violating indecency rules, U.S. communications regulators said on Wednesday.
As expected, the Federal Communications Commission said it has officially voted to fine $27,500 each the 20 stations owned by the CBS television network, which is a unit of media conglomerate Viacom Inc.
The agency decided against fining the other 200-plus CBS affiliates that aired the show and are separately owned because they were not involved in the planning, selection or approval of the halftime festivities.
In addition to owning the CBS television network, Viacom also owns the MTV network, which was involved in producing the halftime show.
Jackson's fellow singer Justin Timberlake ripped her costume, briefly exposing her breast during the halftime show at the National Football League's championship game on Feb. 1, prompting outrage from parents' groups and lawmakers.
The agency said the partial nudity was in apparent violation of the broadcast indecency standard.
U.S. regulations bar television and radio stations from airing obscene material and they are limited to airing indecent material to late hours when children are less likely to be watching or listening.
The $27,500 fine is the maximum currently allowed by law though Congress is contemplating legislation to hike that to as much as $500,000 per incident.
FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein dissented from the decision not to take action against the other stations.
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