2010-02-10 13:38:21 -

MTV bosses have avoided a massive fine from Mexican authorities by scrapp= ing the broadcast of a controversial episode of hit U.S. series SOUTH PAR= K.
The animated installment, which pokes fun at Mexico's President, Felipe= Calderon, was due to air

in Spanish on Monday night (18Feb10) on MTV's L= atin American channel.
But the broadcast was cancelled at the last minute, with TV chiefs clai= ming they failed to apply for a special permit needed to feature an image= of the Mexican flag, which appears in a scene with the president.
Mexican law protects the use of the country's national emblem, with hea= vy fines for those who break the rules.
A spokesman for MTV Mexico, Erick Zermeno, tells BBC News, "We decided = not to alter the image because the reaction would have been worse." He also revealed the episode will be shown in its entirety once MTV bos= ses receive the required permit.
In 2007, Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio was fined for appearing naked o= n the cover of a Spanish magazine draped in the flag.