Bush signs law boosting TV, radio indecency fines

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) President George W Bush today signed into law legislation that raises fines tenfold on radio and television broadcasters that violate US decency standards by airing extensive profanity or sexual content.

The new law, which boosts fines to as much as 5,000 per violation from 32,500 dollars, could help congressional Republicans woo conservatives in a tough election year as they have faced ebbing support from key core constituencies.

The Christian Coalition had placed legislation to increase the fines as the No. 5 item on its 2006 legislative agenda. The new law also caps any continuing violations from an incident at 3 million dollars.

The drive for the higher fines came when pop singer Justin Timberlake ripped off part of duet partner Janet Jackson's costume and briefly exposed her breast during the 2004 Super Bowl football halftime entertainment show aired on national television.

Television and radio broadcasters are barred from airing obscene material and are limited from broadcasting indecent material between the hours of 6 am and 10 pm, times when children are likely to be in the audience.

Those restrictions do not apply to cable or satellite services.

That prompted radio shock jock Howard Stern to move his show to satellite radio to avoid the federal regulations since his antics led to fines against stations that aired his show.

REUTERS SY BD2134