Moonves spoke out at the Television Critics Association press tour on Sunday, he called the proposed FCC plan to fine only CBS owned stations "grossly unfair" and reiterated that CBS had absolutely no prior knowledge that Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake were going to pull the stunt during the broadcast.
There is speculation that the FCC is planning to fine each of the 20 CBS owned stations that carried the broadcast, but the over 150 affiliate stations would not face the estimated $550,000 fine.
"We think the idea of a fine for that is patently ridiculous, and we're not going to stand for it," Moonves said. "We're going to take that to the courts if it happens. That's our attitude toward it."
Moonves also addressed what he sees as
a danger to freedom if regulators go too far in policing indecency.
"A media free of government censorship is essential to our democracy and
our business. Some of the developments coming out of Washington are coming
dangerously close to infringing on First Amendment rights."
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