A US appeals court has struck down a government policy that prohibited the broadcasting of profanity, ruling that the ban is unconstitutional. It meant that broadcasters could be fined if indecent words went on air.
But the court said the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy had a "chilling effect" on broadcasters. It was wrong to ban all "patently offensive" references to sex, sexual organs and excretion without a clear definition of what is considered offensive.
It had created an atmosphere of fear among America's broadcasters, many of which had challenged the rule.
FCC commissioner Michael Copps called the court's decision "anti-family" and said the commission would "clarify and strengthen its indecency framework".
Source: BBC
