Only the stations directly owned by CBS were fined by the Federal Communications Commission. The 200-plus affiliates escaped the $27,500 that the 20 CBS owned stations have been ordered to pay.  CBS is owned by Viacom Inc., which also owns MTV networks which produced the halftime special. 

The incident took place during the finale of Janet Jackson's performance. Jackson was performing a duet with pop singer Justin Timberlake for the televised halftime special and as they were concluding the song Timberlake ripped part of Jackson's blouse off, revealing her bare breast.  Timberlake joked after the incident that it was a "wardrobe malfunction". 

The FCC determined that the CBS stations violated federal law by airing indecent material.  The agency handed down the maximum fine against the CBS stations. According to the current law, the FCC can only fine a station up to $27,500 per incident but members of Congress are looking at new legislation which would increate the maximum to $500,000. 

The FCC decided to let the affiliates off the hook because they were not involved in the planning, selection or approval of the Super Bowl halftime special. 

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