When Victoria's Secret's one-hour "Christmas Dreams and Fantasies" fashion show hit the airwaves it drew about 12.4 million viewers, but also garnered its fair share of complaints. It was a television first; the year before, it aired its sexy show only on the Internet.

In the days following the broadcast, the FCC received hundreds of calls and emails from people offended by the primetime premiere of models like Tyra Banks and Anouck Lepere wearing ensembles that included white leather corsets and lace thongs. The $5 million show was taped in New York's Bryant Park.

Today, in a letter to the complainants, the FCC said, "You have not demonstrated that the sexual aspects of the material were, in context, so graphic or explicit as to be patently offensive." Charles Kelley, head of the FCC's investigations and hearings division, also wrote, "While we understand that you are offended by the programming described, it does not appear that we have any basis for action at this time."

The show's provocative promotions touched a nerve with many viewers as well. None was particularly subtle, and most pictured barely dressed models rolling around in silky sheets. One depicted a woman, breasts pushed to the sky, drinking from a bottle of milk and letting a few white, creamy droplets fall on her bronzed chest.

The Victoria's Secret broadcast was rated TV-14, inappropriate for children under 14. Many still thought the program was too early in the evening though. The FCC limits indecent speech to between 10pm and 6am and labels material "indecent" if it "in context, depicts or describes sexual or excretory activities or organs in a patently offensive manner as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium."

ABC said in a statement at the time: "This special was approved by our Broadcast Standards and Practices department and aired with a TV-14 parental label. As with any other program, viewers have a choice to tune in, or not."