Decency provisions attached to defense bill expected to pass soon
 

This is good argument for line item veto, not that it would likely be used in this case...

Senate Raises Radio, TV Indecency Fines

"lawmakers voted 99-1 to raise the maximum fine that can be levied on a station from the current $32,500."


One Senator stood alone.

The new fines are $275,000 per incident up to $3 million per day. Since the FCC often has considered the same programming on more than one station as separate incidents, I read that to mean that if your local jock slips up the station is liable for $275,000 but if someone syndicated like Howard Stern slips up they're set to go for 3 mill. It's interesting they feel the need to attatch this to a defense bill, given the snowball momentum support for cleaning up the airwaves has gotten since boobygate.

This really wouldn't be that big of a deal if some of the ones who get these things passed didn't have their eye on cable, satellite TV/Radio & the internet...