Judge strikes down FCC indecency rules

BOOB TUBE DEPT.: Hey, what’s an occasional wardrobe malfunction between friends? In a landmark ruling, a federal appeals court in New York struck down the strict rules governing indecency over the airwaves imposed by the FCC during the Bush administration, ruling the commission violated the spirit of the First Amendment. Broadcast TV networks had sued the FCC after getting hammered with huge fines resulting from celebs like Bono, Nicole Richie and Cher impetuously dropping the F-bomb and other naughty words on live TV. The court said the FCC's policy was "unconstitutionally vague" and created a "chilling effect" on the programs networks could air. "Under the current policy, broadcasters must choose between not airing or censoring controversial programs and risking massive fines or possibly even loss of their licenses, and it is not surprising which option they choose," the ruling judge wrote in her decision. (7/14a)