The US Second Circuit Court of Appeals has not only upheld a ruling in favor of TV networks, but it also lashed out against the FCC in its 32-page ruling.
At issue was the FCC’s “fleeting expletive” policy. During the 2003 Golden Globe Awards telecast, U2 lead singer unintentionally slipped the f-word during an acceptance speech. It was broadcasted live to millions of homes.
Although the FCC did not fine NBC for the incident, it did subsequently go back to other unscripted TV shows and fined broadcasters for similar fleeting profanity that made its way to the airwaves.
However, the networks came together and sought to put an end to these shenanigans, claiming that FCC policies were confusing, vague, and ultimately unconstitutional.