Stern Gets Suspended

[phnompehn]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/News/02/25/stern.suspension/index.html

"Howard Stern suspended for indecency

(CNN) -- The U.S.'s largest radio chain has taken shock jock Howard Stern off its stations indefinitely for running afoul of new decency standards.

"We will not air Howard Stern on Clear Channel stations until we are assured that his show will conform to acceptable standards of responsible broadcasting," said a statement from John Hogan, president and CEO of Clear Channel Radio.

Clear Channel operates 1,200 stations nationwide. It was unclear how many of its stations currently run Stern, who is syndicated across the country by another company, Infinity Broadcasting. The suspension applies only to Clear Channel stations.

Earlier in the day, Clear Channel, which has been under fire from the Federal Communications Commission over allegedly indecent content aired on its stations, announced a zero-tolerance policy that called for immediate suspension of its on-air personalities who cross the line.

Hogan said there would be "no appeals and no immediate steps" for DJs found in violation, and that on-air personalities employed by Clear Channel who were found to have violated FCC indecency rules would be fired.

The company said Stern's suspension from its stations came after a review of his Tuesday broadcast.

"Clear Channel drew a line in the sand today with regard to protecting our listeners from indecent content, and Howard Stern's show blew right through it," Hogan said.

"It was vulgar, offensive and insulting, not just to women and African-Americans but to anyone with a sense of common decency."

The statement did not outline what parts of Stern's show ran afoul of the policy or how long the suspension might last.

In January, the FCC announced it would fine Clear Channel $750,000 for allegedly indecent content aired by one of its DJs, Todd Clem, known as Bubba the Love Sponge. The company fired Clem on Tuesday."





Janet Jackson's right boob pops out, and now the FCC is going batshit all of the place. Howard Stern and Bubba the love sponge havent done anything new, different, or original in years. How could they have suddenly gotten so much worse?

The FCC and Clear Channel: Working together to make your radio less offensive/interesting.

[FartinMowler]

Howard Stern tried to come into the Canadian Market and was kicked out of Quebec for having on air a Montreal citizen that was claiming to have sex with his daughter" and then he was here in Toronto for a while but again crossed the line so many times they booted him out. I listened to Howard for a while and sometimes he was funny and on the day of 9/11 he did a very good job but he's like a girl that stands naked in front of everyone, after a while it gets boring.

[Jeanette X]

Well what the hell did Stern say/do this time?

[mburbank]

While Stern can certainly be offensive, no one has to listen, and I'm sure he was no more offensive the day they cut him than on any other day. They announced a 'zero tolerance' position, which was the same as giving his show the axe.

Here's my question. What other syndicated programming does Clear Channel run? I went to their website and there's nothing on content. I suppose I could go to the individual sights of all the stations they own, but that could take decades.

Do they actually intend to inforce this policy on every DJ and personality aired on their stations? Or will they, like the FCC target Stern over and over again as an obvious whipping boy and not sanction most other offenders. What percentage of radio stations do they own at this point? I don't listen to the radio at all these days so there;s not much way to protest.

Does clear channel broadcast politucal and religous shows? 'Cause I've found some of those to be frequently blatantly offensive. Do they broadcast Limbaugh, Davage, Dr. Laura, Pat Robertson?

Howard stern is very smart, very powerful ,very cagey, he has a huge audience and he makes giant profits for those who hire him. I think Clear Channel may have made a serious mistake.

EDIT: Okay, I just found this in USA today

"The six Clear Channel stations involved are in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Rochester, N.Y., San Diego, Pittsburgh and Louisville"

Big fucking deal. Huge statement. Now I'm going to dig for what else they boradcast.

[mesobe]

the radio fucking sucks anyways. Its offensive to me when they play the same music over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and again.

[Bobo Adobo]

FCC and Clear Channel need to be stopped. Not only is Clear Channel knocking us back into the 50s with censorship crap, but there clogging up our radio with their syndicated corperate MTV stations, and they own most of the major venues for concerts. Making performers exclusivly play Clear Channel venues, and regulatiing ticket prices. Just another corperation thats ruining Music and entertainment today.(Viacom, Ticket Bastard, Etc.)

I don't even think I should have to get into the FCC, concidering any organization thats going to spend tax dollars on a boob investigation is a shlock no matter how you look at it.

[ranxer]

clear channel stifles political dissent everywhere it can then hosts rush limbaugh and others of the fundamentalist slant.

i heard political activist/musician Billy Bragg talking about clear channel he was saying 'thank goodness we don't have them over here in the UK', then he called his agent to tell him to stay away from clear channel stations.. oops says his agent .. um, 'our agency was just bought out by clear channel!' the bastards are already in europe >:

[Brandon]

I'm stunned. How the hell can you cancel Howard Stern?

Does CC think this bold little move is going to win a lot of public support?

[AChimp]

They're trying to cater to the little old lady market. Personally, I think that everything bad that happens can now be blamed on The Passion of Christ.

[Bobo Adobo]

No, Everything thats bad that has ever happened is always blamed on Chimps.

[phnompehn]

I listened to the broadcast on tuesday. A caller said "******" and they disconnected him. The FCC claims that they should have bleeped it out though. They were just looking for a reason to get at Stern. A few years ago, he was sued for 1.7 mil by the FCC.

This whole thing is just another reason that satelite radio will become more popular. It'll do for radio what cable did for TV. No FCC, just sponsers who decide what the content should be.

EDIT:
I'm in an wealthy, elderly, ultra-conservative, bible-thumping part of Florida (I'm a victim of circumstance and cheap college tuition). I'll have to check if he's cancelled in my area (Naples) tomorrow morning.

[El Blanco]

This whole thing is just another reason that satelite radio will become more popular. It'll do for radio what cable did for TV. No FCC, just sponsers who decide what the content should be.

How many people in this country have cable?

[Drew Katsikas]

Howard stern is very smart, very powerful ,very cagey, he has a huge audience and he makes giant profits for those who hire him. I think Clear Channel may have made a serious mistake.


There goes Max, again. Always supporting his people. :rolleyes

But seriously, what was the offense in question?

[El Blanco]

I just remembered some of the blatant hypocracy Stern shows.

A few weeks ago, he apparently threatened to sue someone who made snide remarks about him and his girlfriend.

Then there was how he got Mel Karmicak to put pressure on Opie and Anthony to stop taking shots at him on their show, even they he didn't let up on his. Never mind the fact that there was a clause in O&A's contract that was supposed to prevent that sort of thing.

So, why is he bitching about freedom of speech?

[phnompehn]

How many people in this country have cable?

A better question is how many people in this country don't have cable?

[El Blanco]

Are you going to answer the question? Because what you just did was pretty fucking useless.

Just because you and your neighbors have it doesn't mean everyone else does.

Its like internet access, just because everyone on the board has it, doesn't mean its all that common in the US.

[Perndog]

Does clear channel broadcast politucal and religous shows? 'Cause I've found some of those to be frequently blatantly offensive. Do they broadcast Limbaugh, Davage, Dr. Laura, Pat Robertson?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this is my take: offensive, as far as the FCC is concerned (at least from what I've notice), equals foul or overly sexual language, anti-American ideas, and anti-Christian ideas. Everything else is acceptable.

[El Blanco]

Anything that describes sexual acts or extrement functions in detail is what I think are the technical no-nos.

[thebiggameover]

from what i understand, cc droped him because they are under fire from the fcc. stern didn't even do anything diffrent than he does most days. cc got rid of him to get the fcc of there back. he is still on all [bad spelling(maybe)]infinity[bad spelling(maybe)] outlets its just those 6 cc ones hes off of...

[Ant10708]

They are blaming the suspension because some caller said ******. Stern is being censored somewhat but its not censoring freedom of speech. He still can go on cable TV, satellite radio, publish a book, make a CD. Clear channle has the right to not allow him on but its bullshit that all fo sudden they act now. Fucking janet jackson had to get all the grannies angry during the super bowl.

I hate the FCC. I loved Opie and Anthony. :(

I don't know how many people have cable TV but I do know broadband isn't in a majority of homes so I assume its the same with cable TV well actually alot more people proably have cable TV since its been around longer.
I live in a wealthy section of Long Island and I know people who don't have cable so I don't know.

[Perndog]

Oh yeah, I forgot racial slurs.

[phnompehn]

Are you going to answer the question? Because what you just did was pretty fucking useless.

Just because you and your neighbors have it doesn't mean everyone else does.

Its like internet access, just because everyone on the board has it, doesn't mean its all that common in the US.

Dude, how isolated are you from society? 60-70% of Americans have cable and/or other premium television services (I.E. Direct TV, etc.). I've lived in three completely different parts of the country (Rhode Island, Florida, and California), and everywhere I go, I see a majority of people with cable. From ghettos to developments, they've all had cable. I think it's better to say that just because you don't have cable (Which I'm assuming about you because you're being such a dick about it), doesn't mean that neither does everyone else.

P.S.- Over 180 million Americans have internet access, by the way, so yeah, it is "all that common" here.

[AChimp]

No, Everything thats bad that has ever happened is always blamed on Chimps.

SEE? The movie has turned you anti-chimp. :(

[Perndog]

Yeah, really. Just about everyone in the US has cable or satellite TV and the five people who don't have Internet access in their homes yet (plus all the people who don't even have homes) log on from Internet cafes. In the area where I grew up northern Minnesota, 20 miles from the nearest town with a population of 400, everyone was online and they installed DSL equipment out in the sticks last year.

Blanco, have you lived in the middle of the city all your life and just assume that people who don't live in metropolitan centers don't live modern lives? Or what?

[mburbank]

I'm not sure I even see this as a free speech issue.

CC is a private corporation, they can do what they want with their content.

They only owned six stations that ran stern so the impact is smll in any case.

HERE's the problem. The FCC under Michael Powell accepts huge amounts of free booty from big corps like CC. They are working hard to ease regulation so that huge Corps like CC can eat up more of the market and preesumably give Powell more lifestyle assistance. Huge Corps like CC and Powell become beholden to each other, mutual parasites. Powell can tell them what to do if they want to see him keep prssuring for deregulation.

Suppose CC owned say 4/5 of the radio stations. That's around what they own of major pwerformance venues right now, so it's a good figure. Then the government and not the market would be able to determine your access to Howard Stern. Or anyone else. And if you think that's limmited to poo-poo Kaa Kaa, I think you're wrong.

[punkgrrrlie10]

I never liked Stern. I always thought his humor was stupid and monotonous so by about the 3rd time I heard one of his shows I just stopped listening.

Unfortunately, he wasn't banned here in LA b/c I can hear my uncle listening to him in the other room.

I guess the FCC doesn't care about our morals.

[El Blanco]

Actually, I have cable TV as well as cable internet access. ITs only recently that I've had it. I still know lots of people who don't have it and I don't think I know anyone with satelite radio.

Its not because I've lived in a large metro area most of my life that makes me think everyone outside of here doesn't have it, just that I know many people in many regions who don't spend their money on something thats not that nessacery.

P.S.- Over 180 million Americans have internet access, by the way, so yeah, it is "all that common" here.

People or households? And what exactly defines their internet access?

[kellychaos]

I'm torn. On the one hand I'm upset about the censorship measures that the FCC is taking and, on the other hand, I'm annoyed that my local Inifinity affiliate is NOT under Clear Channel so Howard Stern's cancellation would open up another time slot for someone to which I DO enjoy listening. :/

[phnompehn]

Actually, I have cable TV as well as cable internet access. ITs only recently that I've had it. I still know lots of people who don't have it and I don't think I know anyone with satelite radio.

Its not because I've lived in a large metro area most of my life that makes me think everyone outside of here doesn't have it, just that I know many people in many regions who don't spend their money on something thats not that nessacery.

P.S.- Over 180 million Americans have internet access, by the way, so yeah, it is "all that common" here.

People or households? And what exactly defines their internet access?

Look, all I was saying was that I feel that one day, probably within the next 20 years, satellite radio (And other such premium services) will do for radio what cable (Again, including other comparable services) did for TV. You obviously have no idea what cable did for TV (I'll give you a hint: it has to do with the FCC and a thing called "Standards and Practices").

I know that the vast majority of Americans have both cable and a form of internet access, be it in their home or through a library (Eitherway, it's still access).

I know some people don't have cable. I have a friend who doesn't have it. It's cool.

Now, to clearify my point: The near-monopoly of CC, and the tighter restrictions of the FCC will encourage the growth of premium subscriptions to XM or Sirius.