Clear Channel Fined For Indecency

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Just after calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch an industry-wide "Local Values Task Force" to control obscenity on the airwaves, the nation's largest radio station owner got slammed with a $715,000 fine.

The FCC claims Clear Channel aired a "sexually explicit radio show" on four of its stations, 26 times.

The FCC is reportedly fining Clear Channel $27,000 for each of the "Bubba the Love Sponge" shows that aired and crossed the line between acceptable radio content and material that is patently offensive, under the FCC terms.

"Bubba" is a syndicated morning program that is geared toward a male audience and claims to take a "realistic view on life" when it comes to news, contemporary society, and public figures.

The FCC's action against Clear Channel is the second largest fine to date, after a 1995 fine for $1.7 million against Infinity Broadcasting.

Just this week, Clear Channel called on the FCC to develop "indecency guidelines" for the television, radio, cable and satellite industries. Clear Channel is gunning for the media industry to claim more responsibility in eliminating "indecent" or sexually explicit material from the airwaves.

Clear Channel contends that the FCC is applying indecency standards on a case-by-case basis and is creating confusion and non-conformity among many media outlets.

"We believe the time has come for every sector of the media to join together and develop consistent standards that are in tune with local community values," said Mark Mays, president of Clear Channel. "While the government's role is important in this area, there are limits established by the First Amendment to our Constitution," Mays said. "The task of developing guidelines about what is and what is not appropriate is the job of every one of us that delivers content into the home."

The FCC has been on a push recently to create more stringent indecency regulations for the airwaves.

FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell has asked Congress to increase the penalty for broadcasters "by at least tenfold," and a bill is currently being rushed to the House of Representatives that would ban a list of "profane" words related to excrement, the sex act, urine, and parts of the body, as being indecent. Only cable television would be exempt from the ban.

"Indecency is not a simple concept. Congress, the FCC, and the courts all have struggled to define it for years," continued Mays. "However, we believe all content providers have a responsibility to shield our audiences from indecent programming."

The FCC is also fining San Francisco's KRON Channel 4 $27,500 for an interview with the two performers behind "Puppetry of the Penis," during which one of the performers exposed himself to television viewers.

Clear Channel had been given 30 days to pay the FCC's proposed fine or file an appeal.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

New EU User Stats Could Reclassify Major Adult Sites Under DSA

Three high-traffic adult sites previously classified as “very large online platforms” under the European Union’s Digital Services Act are reporting user numbers below the threshold for that label, opening the way for possible downgrading of their obligations under that law.

Spicerack Launches 'SpicyFanz' Creator Monetization Platform

Adult product marketplace Spicerack Market has launched its SpicyFanz creator monetization platform.

Singapore Livestreamer Jailed for Performing 'Obscene Acts' in Public

A judge in Singapore on Thursday sentenced a Vietnamese woman to three weeks in jail for livestreaming “obscene acts” from a public area.

FSC Withdraws Support for North Dakota AV Bill

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has withdrawn its support for an age verification bill in North Dakota, following changes made by the state legislature.

APClips Launches New Blog

APClips has launched a blog, AmateurPorn.com.

Centrobill Launches 'Max' Payment Suite

Payment processing service Centrobill has launched its new Max Suite toolkit.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for December, January

AEBN has released the list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters by country in December and January.

South Dakota Legislators Debate AV Legal Strategies

The South Dakota state Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday heard testimony and debate over two competing age verification bills, in a hearing that focused largely on which piece of legislation could best withstand potential legal challenges.

Mobile OnlyFans Management Platform 'TopCreator' Launches

Mobile OnlyFans management and chat platform TopCreator has launched.

JustFor.fans Marks Its 7th Anniversary With Palm Springs Conference

JustFor.fans is celebrating its seventh anniversary with a four-day conference and party in Palm Springs May 18-21.

Show More