On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 22:39:04 -0500, Mike Coslo wrote:

They could have fined CBS a reasonable amount of money, which would
have prompted them to be sure to clean up their act. Instead, they speak
of fining every station that carries an offending signal, and
threatening all manner of dire consequences on those who would scoff
public decency. As well as fining CBS the better part of a megabuck.

As may have been mentioned before, the FCC does not have a "hook" on
a network or program provider, only on stations which are licensees
or are transmitting signals without a license.

The "CBS" which was hit by the forfeiture was the Owned and Operated
(O&O) stations. Failure to levy a penalty on the non-O&Os would give
rise to a defense claim of selective enforcement, which wouldn't
stand up but would stir up the pot and cost the Feds more than the
amount taken in as penalties. Some organizations would do that just
in spite.

Frankly, anything less than the big bucks penalties would be ignored
as the equivalent of a mosquito bite and/or paid out and ignored as
"the cost of doing business".

--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane