# FCC fines "NYPD Blue" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 27, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212 "2008-01-27T18:55:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/1 "2008-01-27T18:55:01Z")
The FCC has just announced it is fining ABC for broadcasting an episode of _NYPD Blue_ at 9:00pm on February 25, 2003. The episode, like many episodes of that series, featured a scene with partial female nudity. [cite](http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN2530635020080126) Personally, I think this is wrong. I’ll grant that the FCC does have legitimate powers to regulate program content but I think there should be a time limitation. Community standards change over the years and networks should not be held liable for a show they broadcast today that some future commissioner might retroactively decide is offensive years from now. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/2 "2008-01-27T19:05:14Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] The FCC has just announced it is fining ABC for broadcasting an episode of _NYPD Blue_ at 9:00pm on February 25, 2003. The episode, like many episodes of that series, featured a scene with partial female nudity. [/QUOTE] Since NYPD Blue was known as the Naked Butt Show (at least by me), anybody know why this particular episode is being singled out? Was it because there was a child involved, or was there something particularly offensive about this butt? Based on the scanty information I have about the case, I’d agree with the OP. Fining ABC now for something they did 5 years ago seems ridiculous. I also think that anyone tuning into that show should have been aware of the possibility of seeing a naked butt. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/3 "2008-01-27T19:33:00Z")
[QUOTE=TWDuke] Since NYPD Blue was known as the Naked Butt Show (at least by me), anybody know why this particular episode is being singled out? Was it because there was a child involved, or was there something particularly offensive about this butt? [/QUOTE] My guess is that it was for several reasons: child involved, the fact that she was completely nude (although with obstructed views), multiple views of said butt, etc. Not saying I agree with the decision, especially this late in the game, but it wasn’t typical NYPD Blue butt fare. I’m not going to directly link to it, since it’s apparently NSFW if you work at the FCC, but going to YouTube and entering the search term “Charlotte Ross Shower Scene Remix” will get you there. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/4 "2008-01-27T20:08:28Z")
Ah, thank you. That was a lot… nuder than I expected. And I wasn’t actually expecting the kid and the naked woman to be in the same frame. Mind you, I still don’t think the FCC needs to protect us from such sights, but it doesn’t surprise me that they would try. The whole five-years-later aspect seems a little weird, but I guess they don’t want future “offenders” saying “But NYPD Blue got away with it!” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/5 "2008-01-27T20:10:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Since NYPD Blue was known as the Naked Butt Show (at least by me), anybody know why this particular episode is being singled out? Was it because there was a child involved, or was there something particularly offensive about this butt? The time of the broadcast. _NYPD Blue_ normally ran at 10:00 pm (EST). This episode ran an hour earlier than usual. ETA: My mistake. I misread the article. The episode was broadcast at the show’s normal time, which is 10:00 pm EST. This means it’s broadcast at 9:00 pm CST and 8:00 pm MST. So the FCC apparently was concerned about the content of this particular scene rather than its schedule. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/6 "2008-01-27T20:47:55Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] The time of the broadcast. _NYPD Blue_ normally ran at 10:00 pm (EST). This episode ran an hour earlier than usual. ETA: My mistake. I misread the article. The episode was broadcast at the show’s normal time, which is 10:00 pm EST. This means it’s broadcast at 9:00 pm CST and 8:00 pm MST. So the FCC apparently was concerned about the content of this particular scene rather than its schedule. [/QUOTE] It wouldn’t have aired at 8:00 P.M. here. Our shows in the MST aren’t aired simultaneously with the East and Central feeds. Shows that run at 10:00 in the East are run here on an hour’s delay so we’ll see that show at 9:00 local time. This applies to NBC, CBS, Fox, and the CW, as well. Cable times will differ from that. A nitpick, I realize, as it relates to the OP, but only live events, such as sports, would run in the Mountain Zone at the same time as the rest of the country. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/7 "2008-01-28T03:41:23Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Community standards change over the years and networks should not be held liable for a show they broadcast today that some future commissioner might retroactively decide is offensive years from now. [/QUOTE] This is an obvious truth. The FCC has a long tradition of wielding their power in an arbitrary and malicious way, for example their multiple attacks on Howard Stern. Note that one of the primary reasons Stern fled to satellite radio was because the FCC had just fined him for something they aired several years earlier, and he wanted no more to do with their ability and willingness to capriciously persecute whomever they feel like harassing. If I had to guess, I’d say somebody having something to do with NYPD Blue insulted somebody in the FCC or their wife at a party or something. Fuck the FCC. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/8 "2008-01-28T03:42:15Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] ETA: My mistake. I misread the article. The episode was broadcast at the show’s normal time, which is 10:00 pm EST. This means it’s broadcast at 9:00 pm CST and 8:00 pm MST. So the FCC apparently was concerned about the content of this particular scene rather than its schedule. [/QUOTE] Here’s the decision (in PDF): [http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs\_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-25A1.pdf](http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-25A1.pdf) As you can see, the only stations cited were stations in the Central Time Zone, which aired the show at 9 Central. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/9 "2008-01-28T08:55:22Z")
Oooooo…didn’t see that the first time around. Some definite side-boob too. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/10 "2008-01-28T15:56:38Z")
[QUOTE=The FCC] Although ABC argues, without citing any authority, that the buttocks are not a sexual organ, we reject this argument, which runs counter to both case law and common sense. [/QUOTE] But honey, case law, common sense, and the FCC say it’s a sexual organ. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/11 "2008-01-28T16:04:05Z")
[QUOTE=TWDuke] But honey, case law, common sense, and the FCC say it’s a sexual organ. [/QUOTE] The anus perhaps, but not the cheeks, unless I’ve falled behind on my Internet Sexual Perversions again. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/12 "2008-01-28T16:38:32Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] The anus perhaps, but not the cheeks, unless I’ve falled behind on my Internet Sexual Perversions again. [/QUOTE] You have, and for this you shall be spanked. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/13 "2008-01-28T16:42:50Z")
[QUOTE=TWDuke] But honey, case law, common sense, and the FCC say it’s a sexual organ. [/QUOTE] In what way is the anus a “sexual organ” where the hand is not? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/14 "2008-01-29T00:06:49Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] In what way is the anus a “sexual organ” where the hand is not? [/QUOTE] I said nothing about anuses (ani?). The FCC claimed that “common sense” and “case law” indicated that the **buttocks** is (are)? a sexual organ. I simply imagined someone trying to coax his companion into some rumpery by invoking the authority of the FCC. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/15 "2008-01-29T05:24:00Z")
A local station broadcast a Rodney Dangerfield movie the other day and, mercifully, fuzzed out his butt when he walked around in a thong, but not when said appalling sight was shown in a Xerox copy. I almost called the FCC but my burned corneas prevented me from dialing accurately and, though the guy I talked to from a DC-area liquor store could understand why I was upset, he could do little to help me, since the very thought of Dangerfield’s naked butt caused him to puke little carrots. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fcc-fines-nypd-blue/435212/16 "2008-01-29T05:49:15Z")
If they fined them for the amount of damage such a thing caused, it would be a zero fine. it is stupid.