Supreme Court defers action on TV 'expletives' case

SUPREME COURT DEFERS ACTION ON TV's 'EXPLETIVES' CASES
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: David G. Savage]
The Supreme Court took no action Tuesday on the government's move to levy large fines on broadcasters who let expletives slip on the air during daytime or early evening hours -- leaving the issue still pending before the court. At times, the justices debate a pending appeal and defer action until they have had more time to consider an aspect of the case. The court will next issue orders on pending appeals March 17. Last year, an appeals court in New York blocked the Federal Communications Commission from enforcing its new rule against "fleeting expletives." And Bush administration lawyers had urged the Supreme Court to take up the dispute and to give the FCC a green light to enforce the new policy. The appeal was considered by the high court in its closed conference on Friday, but the justices did not say today whether they had agreed to hear it or deny it. Lawyers for Fox TV and the other networks had urged the justices to stay out of the case. They said the FCC should be forced to explain why the agency had changed course in 2004 and adopted a near zero-tolerance policy for broadcast expletives.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-scotus4mar04,0,7320...
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