FCC Upholds Fine for Failing to Serve People with Disabilities

The Federal Communications Commission upheld a $25,000 fine against KUSI-TV San Diego for failing to provide adequate visual warnings to hearing-impaired viewers during its coverage of California wildfires. It was running up against a five-year statute of limitations since the incident occurred in October 2003. In response to a complaint and subsequent investigation, the FCC initially proposed the fines in 2005, but the station challenged it. In releasing the final order for the fine Thursday, the FCC said it was not persuaded by various arguments, including that the station was exercising editorial judgment about what of the emergency information was sufficiently crucial and credible to make visually available given that visuals had more impact and authority than words. The fine could have been much more. The FCC pointed out that it found 22 separate violations, each potentially warranting an $8,000 base fine, which would have added up to $176,000.