$56 thousand in fines was issued to Fox for showing indecent scenes on its reality TV show "Married by America" during the FCC's indecency enforced time slot of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Justice Department backed the FCC by issuing the fines the same day Fox requested the fines be dropped, which the FCC denied.
In 2004 the FCC levied fines on 5 stations owned by Fox and 3 owned by Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group for a scene in which partially nude males and female strippers where walking around a bachelors party with plenty of pixilation.
The FCC has released a statement stating that they have an obligation to protect the children in each market. Initially there where 169 fines of $7 thousand each issued to the Fox affiliates who aired the program. That has since been reduced to thirteen stations in which there where formal viewer complaints.
Is it in the Justice Department's best interest to be getting involved with the FCC's battles with Fox? Is this something similar to congress getting involved with baseball's issue on steroids?
Fox has failed to accept responsibility for its actions and the battle has come to require some form of outside enforcement. Four stations have paid their fines and one was dropped since no formal complaint was submitted, leaving 8 stations left fighting the FCC, and now the Justice Department.
Justice Department Sues Fox
