Top court to be asked to take profanity case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government will ask the Supreme Court to review an appeals court decision that invalidated the Federal Communication Commission’s policy on the broadcast of profanity.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin confirmed the decision in a statement released Wednesday night.

“I am pleased that the solicitor general will be seeking Supreme Court review of the Second Circuit’s decision,” he said. “I continue to support the commission’s efforts to protect families from indecent language on television and radio when children are likely to be in the audience.”

The solicitor general represents federal agencies in cases before the Supreme Court.

In June, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected by a 2-1 vote the agency’s policies on so-called fleeting expletives. The case involved two airings of the “Billboard Music Awards,” in which expletives were broadcast over the airwaves.