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u.s. federal communications commission chairman michael powell asked congress for a tenfold increase in the amount of fines the panel can levy against broadcasters for indecent or obscene programming
powell said the current maximum fine of $27,500 per incident wasnot enough to persuade broadcasters to watch their language.
"some of these fines are peanuts," powell told a national press club luncheon. "they're just a cost of doing business. that has to change."
the two largest fines were $1.7 million against infinity broadcasting in 1995 to settle several cases against howard stern, and $357,000 in october against infinity for a radio segment in which a couple was said to be having sex in new york's st. patrick's cathedral.
powell's comments came a day after he asked his fellow commissioners to overturn a much-criticized decision that an expletive uttered by the musician bono on a network program was not obscene.
during last year's nbc broadcast of the golden globes, the lead singer of the irish rock group u2 said "this is really, really f----ing brilliant."
the fcc's enforcement bureau ruled in october the comment was not indecent or obscene because bono used the word as "an adjective or expletive to emphasize an exclamation," not to describe a sexual act.
powell circulated a proposed ruling to the four other commissioners on tuesday. he needs the votes of two of the four to overturn the decision.
under fcc rules, broadcasters cannot air obscene material at any time and cannot air indecent material between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
the associated press
