WASHINGTON - A NARROWLY-DIVIDED Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that US regulators can impose fines on television and radio broadcasters for allowing 'fleeting expletives' - curse words used in passing - to go out over the airwaves.

In a five-to-four ruling, the high court said the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency which regulates US broadcast media, was 'neither arbitrary nor capricious,' in imposing a strict, zero-tolerance policy on vulgar language, overturning an appeals court decision.

The dispute in the 'FCC vs Fox Television Stations' case centered on whether the agency was within its rights in fining broadcasters for every single utterance of a swear word.

The FCC's 2004 policy change arose following a live 2003 broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards, when lead singer Bono from the Irish rock band U2 declared his award was 'really, really, f***ing brilliant.'

In subsequent television appearances, professional celebrity Nicole Richie and singer-actress Cher also used language deemed too colourful by the FCC.

The decision does not apply to cable television channels, which are given wider latitude in the use of profanity and nudity.

FCC acting chairman Michael Copps on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling.

'Today's Supreme Court decision in Fox is a big win for America's families,' Mr Copps said in a statement.

'The court recognised that when broadcasters are granted free and exclusive use of a valuable public resource, they incur enforceable public interest obligations.

'The court's decision should reassure parents that their children can still be protected from indecent material on the nation's airwaves,' he said. -- AFP