FCC Gives CBS More Time To Respond to Without a Trace Question

By John Eggerton
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

FCC has given CBS until August 10 to respond to a letter from the commission (it was released June 27) looking for some answers related to CBS’ airing of a Without a Trace episode back in 2004 that drew a proposed multimillion-dollar indecency fine from the FCC.

CBS had asked for the extra time, citing the Fourth of July holiday.

The Parents Television Council challenged the license of CBS’ KUTV Salt Lake City claiming CBS did not honor the terms of a consent decree following the FCC’s issuance of a proposed fine against the show. The FCC wants CBS to document its compliance with the decree.

CBS says it didn’t violate the terms of the November 2004 agreement and will make that clear in its response. The consent decree cleared the FCC’s books of all indecency complaints and findings except the Janet Jackson Super Bowl reveal.

The FCC frequently grants extensions when the time period includes a holiday.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.