ABC - ABC LOSES APPEAL OVER NYPD BLUE NUDE SCENES

LATEST: U.S. TV network ABC has failed in its attempt to overturn a ruling penalising the broadcaster for depicting illicit nude scenes in an episode of NYPD BLUE. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) refused to alter its judgement and the TV channel will now be forced to pay a multi-million dollar fine for showing female nudity before the American television watershed. More than 40 affiliate TV stations have landed $27,500 (GBP13, 750) fines for the 2003 episode which was said to have featured "multiple, close-up views" of an actress' buttocks. The total fine will be approximately $1.2 million (GBP600,000). ABC was originally handed the penalty last month (Jan08) but appealed on the grounds that the scene was not intended to shock viewers and they had not been given enough time to respond to the complaint. But the FCC rejected those arguments and upheld the fine.