FCC to fine Viacom $0.5M for Super Bowl

The Federal Communications Commission plans to fine CBS parent Viacom $550,000 for Janet Jackson's breast-exposing dance during the Super Bowl halftime show, two FCC officials say.

It would be the largest-ever fine against a TV broadcaster.

However, the FCC has no plans to fine CBS' 227 independent affiliate stations or to impose a penalty for the steamy dance that preceded the breast baring.

The agency's five commissioners as early as this week are expected to unanimously approve the fine proposed by FCC staff and Chairman Michael Powell in July.

The $550,000 fine amounts to the maximum $27,500 for each of the 20 CBS stations Viacom owns.

"We would be extremely disappointed in such a ruling," CBS said in a statement. "While we regret that the incident occurred and have apologized to our viewers, we continue to believe that nothing in the Super Bowl broadcast violated indecency laws." CBS says an internal probe shows "no one in our company had any advance knowledge" of the incident.

Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein plans to partly dissent, arguing the ... // 50% Remaining