TV Indecency Rule Struck Down by U.S. Appeals Court
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A federal appeals court in New York struck down a U.S. Federal Communications Commission policy that penalizes profanity in broadcasting, saying it violates the television networks’ First Amendment right to free speech.
Media companies had challenged the agency’s move to fine them for “fleeting expletives,” profanities uttered spontaneously by performers during live TV broadcasts. The rule was imposed after on-air outbursts by celebrities including singers Bono and Cher.