FCC fines of The Howard Stern Show

Between 1990 and 2004, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued fines totalling $2.5 million to radio licensees for airing material it deemed indecent from The Howard Stern Show, the highest amount of any American radio show. The Supreme Court had provided broadcasting guidelines for indecent material in its 1978 ruling in its landmark decision, in which the court prohibited the "seven dirty words" made famous by comedian George Carlin. The FCC had received complaints about Howard Stern as early as 1981, but its limited power at the time prevented further action taking place.

The FCC broadened its guidelines in 1987 following an investigation over indecencies broadcast on the show. In 1990, Infinity Broadcasting, owner of Stern's flagship station WXRK and some of his syndication affiliates, was issued its first fine. Two penalties issued in 1992 worth $105,000 and $600,000 were the highest the agency had fined any broadcaster over such matters. Further violations led to almost $2 million in fines being issued by the end of 1994. A settlement reached between the FCC and Infinity in 1995 included a $1.715 million payment to dismiss all outstanding indecency cases.

In 2004, the crackdown on broadcasting indecency following the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy led to two additional fines being issued from past shows. Stern announced his departure from "terrestrial" radio to begin a five-year contract with Sirius Satellite Radio, a subscription-based satellite radio service not subjected to the FCC's broadcast obscenity rules. The Howard Stern Show aired for the last time on AM and FM airwaves on December 16, 2005.

In 1978, the United States Supreme Court upheld the FCC's authority to fine broadcasts for indecent programming at hours when children could be listening. The landmark decision followed a 1973 airing of Filthy Words, a 12-minute monologue by comedian George Carlin that featured repetitive use of the "seven dirty words". Between 1975 and 1987, no television or radio broadcaster was fined over indecency. The FCC deemed the seven words outlined in the Carlin monologue as indecent, and was only concerned with such material. Until 1987, this indecency ruling provided broadcasters with a clear, albeit limited, guide to follow.

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