The Associated Press reported Dec. 16 the Federal Communications Commission has rejected a request to begin imposing indecency standards on satellite radio broadcasts. Saul Levine, an owner of three radio stations in California, submitted a request for FCC indecency oversight, saying it would keep terrestrial broadcast radio on equal footing with its satellite radio counterparts.

The request was filed after Sirius Satellite Radio announced that it signed shock jock Howard Stern. Prior to Stern’s signing, XM Satellite Radio signed The Opie and Anthony Show, which was dropped from terrestrial broadcasts for indecency violations.

The FCC, according to the report, declined the request for indecency oversight because of the commission’s previous ruling that subscription-based services are not subject to that level of oversight.