13 FOX affiliates were fined today $7000 each because they aired an episode of FOX’s Married by America, in 2003, that contained 10.5 seconds pixilated boobies and ass! Yes, pixilated indecency, a new one courtesy of the ever watchful FCC! And it only took them 5 years to reach a decision, but they had to, the statue of limitations on indecency is 5 years!
According to the FCC merely pixilating the special areas of the female body was not sufficient to keep them from being patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards. Operative words being “community standards” which are used in the more raunchy pornography cases and which differ from place to place (hence why such cases are tried in conservative areas to have a bigger chance of scoring a conviction).
Originally the FCC fined 169 FOX stations but then wound up watering down their punishment to just a handful of tv stations that were the only ones to receive complaints from viewers. WTVT in Tampa, Florida
SunbeamTV, owners of WSVN, paid the fine but since they received no complaints are now asking for a refund:
Respondents raise multiple arguments, each of which is discussed below. Generally, they
assert that the subject episode of “Married By America†is not actionably indecent under the
Commission’s prevailing indecency standard.
One respondent, Sunbeam Television Corporation, licensee of Station WSVN(TV), Miami, Florida, paid its
forfeiture in full, subject to the outcome of the Commission’s final action with respect to the FOX/Affiliates
Consolidated Response
In response to the NAL, Sunbeam, licensee of Station WSVN(TV), Miami, Florida, tendered
a check made payable to the Commission in the amount of $7,000, subject to final agency action with
respect to the FOX/Affiliates Consolidated Response. Having determined that the NAL should be
canceled as to all licensees against which no specific complaint was filed, including Sunbeam, Sunbeam
may file appropriate documents requesting a refund of the amount it tendered
Meanwhile, in a state far far away outraged “family” organizations heard the news and had a collective orgasm.
FCC Forfeiture Order /PDF/
WSJ.com –
FCC Rejects Appeal by Fox on Reality-TV Indecency Complaint
Reuters-
Thirteen Fox stations fined over 2003 reality show
BroadcastingCable.com –
FCC Fines 13 Fox Stations for 2003 Episode of Married by America – 2/22/2008
Tampa Bay Business Journal –
‘Married By America’ broadcast lands fine on WTVT
Wait, the FCC only fined stations who got complaints but WSVN didn’t get any, but they still had to pay the fine?! Not fair.
I think the FCC is too drastic and conservative. Go to any other country and nudity is not seen as indecent in many cases. The Janet Jackson thing went way too far, I didn’t even notice her breast.
So nudity is a bad thing but cutting a body open and brutal violence just gets a “Parental Advisory” warning. I just don’t understand it at all, I would like to see the FCC become a little more liberal, maybe letting 10:00 shows become more edgy, thats how its dont in England I know.
*done in England
why would they fine the local stations if it was FOX’s programming?
MockTV WSVN paid the $7000 fine at first when the FCC fined all 169 affiliates.
But now that FCC reversed itself and will only fine the 13 stations that received complaints, of which WSVN isn’t one, Sunbeam TV has requested a refund
what! local stations are the licence holders for the airwaves probably that’s why? I dont know…