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Bush ups indecency fines
15/06/2006 20:38 - (SA)
Washington - President George W Bush on
Thursday signed into law legislation that raises fines tenfold
on radio and television broadcasters that violate US decency
standards by airing extensive profanity or sexual content.
The new law, which boosts fines to as much as $325 000 per
violation from $32 500, could help congressional Republicans
woo conservatives in a tough election year as they have faced
ebbing support from key core constituencies.
The Christian Coalition had placed legislation to increase
the fines as the No 5 item on its 2006 legislative agenda. The
new law also caps any continuing violations from an incident at
$3m.
The drive for the higher fines came when pop singer Justin
Timberlake ripped off part of duet partner Janet Jackson's
costume and briefly exposed her breast during the 2004 Super
Bowl football halftime entertainment show aired on national
television.
Television and radio broadcasters are barred from airing
obscene material and are limited from broadcasting indecent
material between the hours of 06:00 and 22:00, times when
children are likely to be in the audience.
Those restrictions do not apply to cable or satellite
services. That prompted radio shock jock Howard Stern to move
his show to satellite radio to avoid the federal regulations
since his antics led to fines against stations that aired his
show.
- Reuters
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