The U.S. Supreme Court will review how the Federal Communications Commission defines indecency on television with its decision to review a decision from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York in the case of FOX vs. FCC case.
The FCC asked the court to review the lower court’s decision, which found that the commission failed to make the case for its standard used to assess “fleeting” indecency in television programming.
In March 2006, the FCC held that FOX owner News Corp. failed to abide by commission prohibitions on indecency when pop singer Cher uttered the “F-word” during a 2002 music awards show and again one year later when Nicole Richie made two similar utterances.
Chairman Kevin Martin welcomed news of the high court’s decision to review the case. Commissioner Michael Copps issued a statement expressing the hope that the Supreme Court’s review will “bring additional clarity to concerned citizens and broadcasters alike.”
