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FCC fines Fox for 'Married by America'

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The Federal Communications Commission levied a $1.8 million fine against Fox TV for an episode of "Married by America" featuring Las Vegas dancers.

The fine, the largest ever handed out by the FCC, was given because of sexually suggestive scenes, including topless female dancers, at bachelor and bachelorette parties featured on the reality show, Zap2it.com reported Wednesday.

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Although Fox blurred the dancers' breasts, the FCC said "the pixilation does little to obscure the overtly sexual and gratuitous nature of the bachelor/bachelorette party scenes."

One scene showed a contestant licking whipping cream from the chest of a male stripper "in a sexually suggestive manner," the FCC said.

Fox responded to the fine by saying "We disagree with the FCC's decision and we believe the content was not indecent."

The FCC action reportedly was spurred by a letter writing campaign from the Parents Television Council, a watchdog group working to end sex, profanity and violence on the airwaves.

The commission reportedly received 159 complaints about the "Married by America" episode, which was watched by 7.5 million viewers.

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