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John Garziglia: Don’t Expect FCC Crackdown on Flacco Super Bowl F-Bomb

February 5, 2013

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In the wake of his team’s victory in the Super Bowl, an exuberant Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco used a four-letter expletive—which was heard live by the largest TV audience of the year.
 
But Womble Carlyle Telecom attorney John Garziglia tells Inside Radio that the FCC is unlikely to levy fines against CBS for the expletive. Garziglia says the Flacco comment was far different from the infamous Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction” at the 2004 Super Bowl.
 
“One was a scripted halftime program that was clearly entertainment and the other was an off-the-cuff remark in the glare of excitement of winning the Super Bowl,” Garziglia tells Inside Radio.
 
However, if the FCC does decide to pursue action, Garziglia said it could have a chilling effect on any radio outlet that airs high school or college sports.
 
 
John Garziglia represents radio and television broadcasters, offering personalized assistance in all areas of communications and telecommunications law including transactional and contract negotiations for broadcast station mergers and acquisitions, the securing of financing, governmental auctions of new frequencies, license renewals, new stations applications, facility changes, facility upgrades, licensing, and compliance with FCC rules, regulations and policies.

This document is intended as an informational reminder and does not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions or would like to discuss a particular situation, please contact Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP. The purpose of this article is to provide general information about significant legal developments and should not be construed as legal advice on any specific facts and circumstances.