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Supremes Take Up Indecency

Published: Mon, March 17, 2008, 12:03 PM

Will networks be responsible for unexpected swearing on TV?

Variety's William Triplett reports that the Supreme Court will decide whether the FCC acted fairly in citing Fox for swear words that were uttered during a broadcast of the Billboard Music Awards in 2006.

The high court's decision to take the case was unexpected, and marks the first time that they will decide on broadcast indecency in more than 30 years.

The FCC cited Fox for two instances of "fleeting expletives" during the broadcast, while Fox argued that the FCC was "arbitrary and capricious" in its punishment.

Obviously, the case has big ramifications for the networks, which have been bristling under a crackdown on content during the Bush years. What remains to be seen is wyhether the justices take a narrow view of the matter, or whether they consider the wider question of whether the FCC even has the authority to regulate indecency.

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Wilshire & Washington highlights the enduring relationship between entertainment and politics. More than a mere curiosity, the intersection of these worlds play out daily in fund raising, celebrity causes, show business lobbying and creative expression. Variety managing editor Ted Johnson provides the daily dose with contributions from reporters in L.A. and D.C.

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