FCC Is Investigating Super Bowl Show: Entire Halftime Performance Faces Indecency Standards Test

Washington Post ^ | February 3, 2004 | Frank Ahrens and Lisa de Moraes

[new cruelty]

The Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation into Sunday's controversial Super Bowl halftime show yesterday and FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell telephoned Mel Karmazin, president of CBS parent Viacom Inc., to express his outrage, saying the entertainment giant should have known what was going to transpire during the show.

The FCC probe will encompass the entire halftime program -- including the brief exposure of singer Janet Jackson's breast and the sexualized dance routine precipitating it -- to determine if it violates indecency standards set in law and enforced by the FCC.

If indecency violations are found, each of Viacom's 200 owned and affiliate stations could face a penalty of up to $27,500. FCC officials said the agency may also pursue penalties against CBS and the individual performers, Jackson and Justin Timberlake

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

After a six month investigation costing millions, Viacom will be fined $1.25.

[new cruelty]

Feh. It's only money. We'll make more. :)

[AUH2OY2K]

Sean Hannity expressed his "outrage" by showing the controversial parts of the video no less than seven times. If that wasn't enough, he had two stills of the allegedly offensive clip posted for several seconds. To underscore his point of a decaying society, he then had a still of Madonna and Britney Spears kissing. All of this during the family safe viewing hours. In all fairness, Hannity's display was longer and more egregious.

I'm sure the self-appointed moral watchdogs on this board will be calling for Sean Hannity's resignation, lest they are hypocrites.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

The government will do nothing about this. If the old "silent majority" were to voice its opinion to the NFL and Viacom, then, possibly, common (e.g. non-deviant)sensibilities might prevail in the future -- although not likely to do anything about the hideous lack of creativity and presentation in the "arts". What a bunch of no-talent losers: can't write, can't sing, can't act, can't dance, but they CAN curse and show body parts. Feh.

[ClancyJ]

So, in your view, we do nothing?

An assault on the unsuspecting public without any form of warning, meaning we are subject to any trash that anyone wants to throw at us as we innocently watch the superbowl with our families.

Of course all those who enjoy such entertainment cannot understand the concerns of those who expect this event to be suitable for the entire family. Not all of us enjoy seeing crotch holding, lyrics with sex talk, and exposure of a breast at mealtime.

In my view - the execs at CBS are pornography addicts and plan on pushing lewdness into every aspect of media programming. My question is WHY??????

[new cruelty]

What a bunch of no-talent losers: can't write, can't sing, can't act, can't dance, but they CAN curse and show body parts. Feh.

Feh indeed. You left out that they can grab their crotches. nelly was in top crotch grabbing form last night.

[NYCVirago]

MTV Networks President Judy McGrath said the finale of the Jackson-Timberlake act caught the network by surprise. "I'm mostly horrified as what I think would have been an entertaining, exciting great halftime show that ended so badly in five seconds none of us knew anything about," she said.

Yeah, Judy, it was just those five seconds that you knew *nothing* about, yet hyped on your web site beforehand. Never mind the crotch-grabbing, flag-wearing, bumping-and-grinding, lip-synching rest of the show. When P Diddy is your classiest performer at the halftime show, you have a real problem.

[NYCVirago]

Clear Channel RADIO was just cited for a comedy sketch that "crossed the line". The fine was $750,000. That is single market radio.

Howard Stern got fined a million for simply talking about breasts, let alone showing them!

[PizzaDriver]

Even if it was 'costume failure', MTV's planned lesson...copping a feel in public IS OKAY! Must offend "NOW".

Where are those folks? Do they expect Mr. Timberlake to be a future President?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

That's not what I said. In fact I said that, if anyone, WE THE PEOPLE, COULD have an impact were we to bombard the NFL, Viacom, and their sponsors with our rebuke. I DID say that I doubted the FedGov would do anything.

BTW, I agree with your sentiments 100%.

[A CA Guy]

What did Bush know & when did he know it? LOL

[Michael Barnes]

ooooh..aaaaaaaaaahhh....a breast on tv, OMG!~~~~ Let's go over the top! Hell yeah, le'st make sure we cover up all statue's that show a breast; and coin's for that matter. Better yet, the next time a mother is breast feeding, let's call out the Gov't to protect our eyes...Protect our morals. Protect us all!

We're all gonna DIE!!!! GOV'T, PLEASE help us!!!!

OR, make it a point not to watch cbs or MTV, or anything viacom. Don't allow your kids to own anything Jackson (that should go without saying), and damnit don't tell me the "un-suspecting" crap, the whole half time show sucked wind. Why was anyone watching it anyway?

Don't bother flaming me; you'll get nowhere. If you haven't figured out a long time ago that the NFL is a joke, CBS is a joke and broadcast media is simply nothing more than "shock video", your long past due to un-plug your set. That, or you simply enjoy something to bitch about.

[Salvation]

I hope they all get fined big money.

CBS
MTV
Janet Jackson
Justin Timberlake
and anyone else involved.

[FBD]

Government intervention...and conservatives are advocating it.

Not good.

There is another way to putting a stop to this vile crap. Sadly, it's to turn off the tube.

[jocon307]

"...although not likely to do anything about the hideous lack of creativity and presentation in the "arts". What a bunch of no-talent losers: can't write, can't sing, can't act, can't dance, but they CAN curse and show body parts. Feh."

Agreed, that is the worst part. The whole show was awful, the performers came of like a bunch of not talent losers, on the way down. Not really what was intended I imagine.

I got no problem with raunchiness, but there's a time and a place for everything. It strikes me that the Superbowl entertainment was completely schizo, all patriotism and schmaltz in the pre-game and pure raunch at half-time.

The worse part is, as many have pointed out today, the really excellent game was completely overshadowed by this. Even the disgusting "white riots" in Boston were overshadowed by it.

[NCPAC]

Thank you for your post! Indeed, Reagan did degregulate the FCC. He knew very well that a true conservative does not believe the government should engineer society and/or standards. THAT is up to the individual and the family.

[new cruelty]

They may get fined, but I doubt it will be big money compared to free publicity they are getting now. I think ms. jackson has an album coming out soon. This stunt will likely draw some much wanted attention and maybe even sell a few more albums.

[FITZ]

Americans are theological fools when it comes to nudity.

Like it or not this country was influenced from the very beginning by the Puritans and early Protestants --- we got their kind of morality, their work ethic, their attitudes toward cleanliness, sexual restraint etc --- and we became the strongest country in the entire world ---- way out ahead of all the others with their looser morals, and more decadent ways.

[185JHP]

Ann-Margret knew how to sing and dance and act and stick with a stricken husband. That's the "lovem if you got one" stuff.

[kellynla]

Investigate? Investigate what? CBS had a seven second delay that they could have "cut away" from the Jackson breast revelation if they wanted to. And they failed to do so. Let's see $27K times 200....that's about $5 Mil. Hmmmmm, will they take a check?