Yesterday, Fox Broadcasting took the unusually aggressive step of refusing to pay a $91,000 fine levied by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for an episode of a long-cancelled reality television show. Meanwhile, the network is fighting other FCC indecency fines in the Supreme Court.

According to the Washington Post, “the FCC proposed fining all 169 Fox-owned and affiliate stations at a total of $1.2 million in 2004 for airing a 2003 episode of ‘Married by America,’ which featured digitally obscured nudity and whipped-cream-covered strippers.”

Immediately after the FCC ruling, Fox appealed; and last month, four years after the fine was levied, the FCC revised its ruling, saying that the fine would only apply to 13 Fox stations in cities that generated viewer complaints about the program. Hence, the fine was reduced to $91,000.

Nevertheless, Fox said it would not pay the fine, even at a sharp reduction, based on principle. A statement issued by Fox yesterday called the fine, “arbitrary and capricious, inconsistent with precedent, and patently unconstitutional.”

To read the entire article from the Washington post, link here:

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