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Fox Broadcasting announced Monday it would not pay the
$91,000 fine it received for broadcasting an episode of reality show “Married
in America”
which included graphic scenes at a bachelor party.
A statement issued Monday by Fox Broadcasting contests the
Federal Communications Commission’s fairness in fining the network fines
totaling $91,000 for broadcasting a certain “Married in America”
episode that included graphic scenes which depict sexual organs.
Fox is also asking the F. C. C. to reconsider the fines on
the 13 owned and affiliated stations that broadcast the “Married by America”
episode, the New York Times reports.
“Fox believes that the F. C. C.’s decision in this case was
arbitrary and capricious, inconsistent with precedent and patently
unconstitutional,” Scott Grogin, the company’s senior vice president for
corporate communications, said in a statement.
“Married in America”
no longer runs on Fox. During the episode in question, the possibly offensive
body parts shown were pixilated; Fox has previously said it “strongly disagrees
with the commission's conclusions in the notice” and that it would “be actively
considering” its options.
Last month, the F. C. C. commented: “While it is true that
the nude female breasts and buttocks shown were pixilated, the commission has
never held that the full exposure of sexual or excretory organs is required to
satisfy the first prong of the broadcast indecency standard.”
The F. C. C. fined 13 Fox stations and affiliates $7,000
each. The agency had initially proposed a $1.2 million fine against 169
affiliates of Fox that broadcast the April 2003 show but then decided to fine
only the Fox stations in markets where viewers complained about indecency.
F. C. C. spokeswoman Mary Diamond responded to Fox’s
statement saying: “We believe in enforcing indecency standards especially when
children are watching,” the Times reports. It remains to be seen whether the
current situation will lead to court.
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