Nervous ABC keeps delay on Super Bowl signal

Two years after Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction," ABC is putting a five-second delay on its broadcast of the Super Bowl on Sunday.

The tape delay will apply for the game itself, plus the pre-game, half-time and post-game entertainment.

According to ABC, it is the first-ever delay in the 40-year history of the Super Bowl. Last year's game, broadcast on Fox, ran without any delay.

But ABC has had a five-second lag built into its Monday Night Football for the past two years to give programmers time to strip out inappropriate images.

In the 2004 half-time show, Jackson flashed a breast to astonished viewers, a move the singer claimed was an accident.

There were many complaints from viewers and CBS was fined $555,000 US under indecency laws. A congressional hearing following the incident led to tougher laws on television standards.

This year's half-time entertainment is from the Rolling Stones and Stevie Wonder.

ABC's decision drew praise from conservative watchdog group, the Parents Television Council.

"ABC has wisely decided to ensure that this year's Super Bowl is not hijacked by raunchy performers as it was in 2004," said Brent Bozell, PTC president. "Now, we hope that millions of families can safely watch this family program without the worry of seeing inappropriate sexual content or hearing vulgar language."

Short delays on live events became much more common in the aftermath of the Jackson affair.

Super Bowl audiences generally approach 90 million people, making it the largest U.S. television event of the year. The Super Bowl plays in Detroit Sunday evening.

It is ABC's last National Football League broadcast, as it is turning Monday night football over to ESPN. Sunday night games move to NBC.