MTV Blames Janet Jackson for Incident (tries to shift the blame)

Reuters ^

[GulliverSwift]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Singer Janet Jackson (news) masterminded the Super Bowl halftime stunt that left her right breast exposed and prompted a federal probe into television indecency, the head of MTV said on Tuesday.

"Janet Jackson engineered it," MTV Chief Executive Tom Freston told Reuters in an interview.

The blame on Jackson comes on a second day of fallout after pop idol Justin Timberlake (news) tore off half of Jackson's black leather bustier while the pair were singing a duet, exposing her right breast at the conclusion of Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show.

Freston, whose company produced the halftime show for CBS, said Timberlake was informed of the stunt just moments before he took the stage with Jackson.

MTV and CBS are both owned by Viacom (NYSE:VIAB - news)(NYSE:VIA - news).

The Super Bowl is the highest-rated U.S. television event, watched by almost 90 million people.

The stunt, which Timberlake said was due to a "wardrobe malfunction," sparked widespread viewer complaints.

Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) regulators launched an investigation amid calls for the government to take a tougher stance on regulating indecency on television.

"There's now going to be an FCC (news - web sites) investigation into the nipple," Freston told reporters at a news conference.

Jackson took the blame but said on Monday her stunt went further than she intended: "The decision to have a costume reveal at the end of my half-time show performance was made after final rehearsals. MTV was completely unaware of it. It was not my intention that it go as far as it did."

FINANCIAL FALLOUT

Freston said neither CBS nor the National Football League has rescinded or demanded a refund of MTV's production fees. But sources familiar with the situation said the incident could possibly cost CBS and the NFL millions of dollars.

The sources told Reuters that Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX - news) unit America Online may now seek a partial refund of the estimated $10 million it paid as a major Super Bowl advertiser and exclusive halftime show sponsor.

"While AOL was the sponsor of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, we did not produce it," the company said in a statement. "Like the NFL, we were surprised and disappointed with certain elements of the show."

The company said the exposure of Jackson's breast means it cannot now broadcast the halftime extravaganza on its web site for 25 million AOL members and visitors.

"In deference to our membership and the fans, AOL and AOL.com will not be presenting the Halftime Show online as originally planned," the company said.

McDonald's Corp. (NYSE:MCD - news), which uses Timberlake as a pitch man, said it found the incident was inappropriate but that it will stand by the singer.

An NFL spokesman said it is unlikely that MTV will be asked to produce future halftime shows. MTV is no stranger to producing shows with shock value, most recently making headlines when it broadcast a performance by Madonna (news - web sites) and Britney Spears (news) ending with the pair kissing.

[bobo1]

You bet that I will be calling McDonalds. How dare they continue to back perversion.

blessings, bobo1

[Brian Mosely]

You don't get to be on top of the musical heap by having NO TALENT.

Two words: Milli Vannli...

[TheBigB]

He sells millions of albums, sells out concerts, makes good videos

So did Milli Vanilli. Won a Grammy to boot.

[axxmann]

...he can sing and he can dance. HE HAS TALENT.

I disagree. Even before the peepshow, I thought the song sucked.

[TheBigB]

51 seconds. :)

[Dutch Boy]

If you want to find out who is to blame try charging Timberlake with sexual assualt. He'll spill his guts in a heartbeat rather than go to prison.

[Howlin]

--it was the entire decadent, tasteless simulations of lesbian, homosexual and hetero sado/masochistic sex acts masquerading as "entertainment" that horrified anyone with a smidgen of decency...

And in case you don't know it, THAT is precisely the part of the "show" that CBS watched during rehearsal and APPROVED of! I find that shocking!

[thesummerwind]

Justin (Scrawny Boy) Timberlake said it was a "wardrobe malfunction”. What a foolish, no talent dweeb!

What Justin, were both breasts supposed to fall out?

[Howlin]

ROFLMAO.......I was thinking the exact same thing, so I'm glad I scrolled down!

[international american]

Same here!

[LisaMalia]

You can't separate the talent from the person

I can. I love Barbara Streisand's voice, but I don't like her as a person. Will she ever get a dollar of mine again? Nope.

but there's no denying he has talent

I think talent is subjective. What is considered "talent" to one person may be considered noise to another.

[GulliverSwift]

The Jackson family:

"ABC.....

"One

"Two

"Three

[Brian Mosely]

I must be slowing down...I nearly got beat on this thread with my clever photo satire....

[jtminton]

I went to their website and submitted my complaint already.

FYI, They require your address, phone and email before you can submit.

[WestTexasWend]

"These people knew exactly what they were doing."

Correct. Plenty of blame to go around here.
The NFL picked this bunch, and if it'd been a boffo success they'd have taken credit.
MTV picked the "talent" and knew there'd be an "incident"...it's their trademark!
Affiliates were caught napping, lulled to sleep by years of repeating "we can't control the network" to unhappy viewers. Now that they face possible fines maybe they'll speak up at the affiliates meetings! (BTW, it's an excellent move to call your local CBS station. Each call is equated to at least 10 viewers...and be sure you ask that your complaint be put in their FCC file.)
Finally, high-priced sponsors should suffer because many viewers won't watch anything but the game from now on. (Can you say TIVO?) Unless EVERYone associated with this dreck is made to suffer financially, the dreck will continue.

[ladyinred]

As if we are stupid enough to believe all of this. A wardrobe malfunction? Right, all women wear pasties under their bras! Hmm humm.

[Jennikins]

Re your post #10. Agreed. This shows where America has gone.... sliding down into the sewers.

Where do we go from here? How much worse can it get?

[thesummerwind]

"Justin The Punkly Ripper" rips off a girls clothes!

For once a Jackson gets molested!

And, a punkly puke performer is exposed as the a**hole he always has been.

[Malesherbes]

Good point by Dutch Boy. Since Timberlake has the mind of a 12 year old, and Janet Jackson will soon be eligible for senior discounts, there may be a case for child molestation here.