Jackson 'malfunction' fine dismissed

[n2doc]

A US appeal court has thrown out a $550,000 (£275,700) fine against CBS for screening Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during 2004's Super Bowl.


Three judges ruled the Federal Communications Commission watchdog "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" in levying the fine.
Some 90 million viewers saw a fleeting glimpse of the singer's breast during a performance at half-time.

She was performing alongside Justin Timberlake when the incident happened.

As Timberlake sang the line "gonna have you naked by the end of this song", he reached for Jackson's bra.

The court said the FCC had traditionally fined broadcasters for indecent material only when this was so disgusting that it amounted to "shock treatment" for viewers.

In this case the footage was too brief to merit such a penalty, it added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7517730.stm

[wellst0nev0ter]

1. Finally, Some Sanity (n/t)

[ProfessorGAC]

6. You Bet!

This was a most egregious overreach by a silverspoon zealot, in over his head, trying to show he was "one of the crowd".

The FCC was grossly over the line with that fine, and i'm glad the court saw it that way.
The Professor

[wellst0nev0ter]

9. I Just Wonder How Long Heather Wilson Is Going To Bawl About This

Pastied boobies makes Baby Jesus cry :sarcasm:

But on the serious side, I wonder how much CBS spent contesting this thing. Either way, they still got penalized.

[Inspired]

2. Finally...now I can get on with my life.

:sarcasm:

[DainBramaged]

3. What about Britney's crotch?

:scared:

[Eric J in MN]

4. The FCC just regulates broadcast TV and radio for indecency.

So internet photos of Britney Spears are beyond the FCC.

[DainBramaged]

7. Isn't she just indecent? I mean really, the epitome of a troll?

[madokie]

5. Well is it a snapper or what :)

now I'm scared too just thinking about it.

[KharmaTrain]

8. Typical

I can't think of a major FCC fine that has stuck...they almost always get thrown out in court. The fine was subjective at best and was done mostly for PR value than it was for any punative reason. The irony is that CBS probably spent 5 million in lawyer fees to beat the 500k fine.

[DearAbby]

10. OMG!

What do we tell the children? They have been traumatized by a flash of a boob....the youngest thought of dinner, being breast fed. The others were bored out of their minds over a over-hyped football game...and were in their rooms playing violent video game...what was it? A tenth of a second? OMG!!11!!1

[ColbertWatcher]

11. Hahahahaha! n/t