And so, Nipplegate is the lead story in the CMU Daily once again. Some stories never go away. Yes, Janet Jackson's now legendary "wardrobe malfunction" during the 2004 Super Bowl half time show is still in the news as TV network CBS, who produced and aired the show, go to court to appeal the record £270,854 fine they received over the incident (they were fined $27,500 for each of the 20 CBS outposts that screened it).
The TV network was fined on the basis that the brief glimpse Superbowl viewers got of Ms Jackson's right breast amounted to them broadcasting "indecent" content. But CBS argue that the broadcasting of "fleeting, isolated or unintended images" cannot be deemed to be "indecent", even if it's a fleeting, isolated and unintended image of Janet Jackson's breast.
In a statement, the TV company said US media regulator the FCC were wrong to fine them, telling reporters: "Lacking any evidence to support the initial speculations about network complicity, the Commission instead reached the illogical conclusion that the halftime show was designed to 'pander to, titillate and shock the viewing audience'. [CBS] did not plan the sole part of the performance the FCC says made it indecent, the 'costume reveal', did not know about it in advance and did not sanction it".
The appeal court is now expected to rule on whether the FCC made the right decision or not imminently.