Supreme Court bans curse words on air
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a policy that threatens broadcasters with fines for the use of curse words in live television on Tuesday in a 5-4 vote, according to the Associated Press. The court did not decide whether the policy violates the Constitution.
The justices expressed their concerns about the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commissionís (FCC) ìfleeting expletives” policy. The FCC appealed to the Supreme Court after being overturned by the second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.
FCC Chairman Michael Copps said the decisions was ìa big win for American families” and that the ìdecision should reassure parents that their children can still be protected from indecent material on the nationís airwaves.”
Fox Television Stations challenged the policy after the FCC did not allow them to air words by Bono, Cher and Nicole Ritchie during awards programs that were aired on the network in 2002 and 2003.