FCC Fines ESPN $280,000 For Olympus Has Fallen Spot

Olympus Has Fallen—the 2013 movie about a White House attack that wasn't White House Down—got some TV networks into trouble with its advertising. The FCC dished out hefty fines for one spot's use of the Emergency Alert System sound. You can hear it at the beginning, right before the "THIS IS NOT A TEST" text. It's like Orson Welles reading The War of the Worlds on the radio all over again!

The FCC frowns upon use of the blaring EAS sound outside of actual emergencies, so the committee fined Viacom $1.12 million, NBC Universal $530,000, and ESPN $280,000 in March 2014. The Worldwide Leader appealed its fine, but the FCC denied it today.

[ Sports Business Daily]