Without a Trace (television)
Artist: CBS
Year: 2006
Date of Action: March 2006
Region: North America
Location: Washington D.C.
Subject: Explicit Sexuality
Medium: Television
Confronting Bodies: FCC
Description of Artwork: "Without a Trace" is a television series based on the missing persons unit of the NYPD. The episode in question was titled "Our Sons and Daughters," and was centered around an incident involving an orgy of teenagers.
The Incident: After a campaign of complaints led by the Parent's Television Council, the FCC levied a record-breaking fine of 3.6 million dollars against CBS and its affiliate companies for airing the episode. CBS protested the fine, saying "the program 'featured an important and socially relevant storyline warning parents to exercise greater supervision of their teenage children. The program was not unduly graphic or explicit.'" [1]
Results of Incident: In spite of widespread outrage over the censorship, CBS was still forced to pay the fine.
See also http://www.eonline.com/news/51883/cbs-fined-for-trace-of-indecency
