by TChris

Conservatives who were obsessed with the Superbowl appearance of Janet Jackson's nipple are losing steam in their effort to stiffen indecency rules for broadcasters.

A Senate bill to increase fines for broadcasting indecency includes a provision that would "roll back, at least temporarily, rules passed by the [FCC] last year that would permit media conglomerates to own newspapers in markets where they already own radio and television stations." The administration and some of its Republican supporters want to help media conglomerates get bigger, and are looking for a way to uncouple the bill's indecency and ownership provisions.

Senators also face "the peril of investing too much political capital in a divisive issue, which has pitted some social conservatives and child-advocacy groups against big broadcasters and civil rights advocates."

Moreover, in recent weeks, the issue of the war in Iraq - particularly the prisoner abuse scandal - has moved to the forefront of the national political agenda in a way that was not the case on Super Bowl Sunday, when the exposing of Janet Jackson's right breast during the halftime show caused such a stir. Politicians who push too hard on the decency issue may risk appearing to have their priorities out of whack.

Having out-of-whack priorities has never bothered the right wing, but Janet's nipple does seem trifling when compared to the 800-plus American soldiers who have died in Iraq.