President Bush yesterday signed that previously reported new media legislation that will mean US TV stations (though not cable or satellite stations) can be fined up to $325,000 every time they air something that exceeds "the bounds of decency" - which for most of the Bush supporting right is probably more or less anything, apart from footage of bombs being dropped on Iraqi villages which is, of course, damn decent telly.
As previously reported, this new hard line on the broadcasting of 'indecent' television came about after the outrage that followed the so called Nipplegate incident during the 2004 Super Bowl - a four second glimpse of Janet Jacksons' breast, just fyi, is definitely 'indecent'. CBS were fined the maximum $550,000 for that incident (because their footage aired on 20 separate stations) - a record breaking fine in itself - but under the new laws they could have been fined $6.5 million.
The new fines won eager support by both the US Senate and House Of Representatives, while Bush himself has, of course, been an passionate supporter of the proposals since the outset.
Of course, not everyone in the US supports the moves - the network TV firms in particular. Speaking for TV Watch, a lobbying group that represents NCB and CBS, among others, Jim Dyke told reporters this week: "The government's own data show that the vast majority of complaints come from a handful of people encouraged by activists to complain about these shows, and not the viewers themselves. The disparity between the millions who tune in and the few complainants is further evidence that Americans do not believe the government should control what they watch on TV."