Clear Channel Suspends Howard Stern

[SkipNewarkDE]

The Howard Stern Show was suspended from airing on Clear Channel stations , for running afoul of new decency standards. Specifically, the contents of the Tuesday, February 24th, 2004 show resulted in the show being yanked off the air. This affects upwards of ten percent of Stern's listening audience, including such markets as Miami, Orlando, Louisville and San Diego.

This suspension coincides with the testimony this morning of Clear Channel president before congress regarding standards of decency in the broadcast industry. You may recall that just a couple of days ago, a Stern imitator, Todd Clem was fired on Tuesday for similarly crossing the lines of decency imposed by the station and the new FCC guidelines.

I needn't remind readers of this board of the rightward leaning political affiliations of the Clear Channel company. This is the same company that broadcasts Rush, Hannity, Liddy, and any number of far right wing-nuts in their daily programming. Lest we forget, this is the same company that had the huge number of stations all of a sudden "independently" decide that they were not going to play Dixie Chicks records on the air, after the musicians made negative comments about President Bush during a concert appearance in England.

I happened to listen to a good bit of the Tuesday broadcast. And you know what surprised me about this broadcast? Well, in retrospect, there was little outrageous material much different from the stuff Stern has been doing for twenty years. What surprised me, and I wrote about it on my weblog, was the virulently anti-Bush comments coming out of Stern's mouth. Stern touched on Bush's character, his drunk driving, his cocaine use, his avoidance of Vietnam, his religious fundamentalism kookiness, and how he was a failure at everything he touched, running several companies bankrupt. Stern had been a strong supporter of Bush during the war efforts, and has back-pedaled, even today admitting that although he voted for Gore, he was willing to stand by our president and give him the benefit of the doubt during 9/11 and its aftermath. But Stern commented today that the economy is in shambles, and that Bush must go. He also talked up John Kerry.

The fascists in Clear Channel, in fulfilling their duties as the propaganda wing of the Bush regime, can't tolerate this kind of message being broadcast on their airwaves, especially with an election coming up in November. It is quite a strange coincidence that on the day in question, Stern was casting his venom at Bush, the FCC, religious fundamentalists, and the Republicans, and advising everyone to vote this guy out. Drumming up indecency violations to silence the dissension is a very likely motivation in this suspension.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. So it's O.K for Stern to support the Iraq War, it's O.K......

for Stern to support Ah-nuld Gropen-nazi(Republican), but it's
not O.K for Stern to bash Bush!

Gee, this "obviously" is not political censorship now is it?

:argh:

[phillybri]

2. Isn't it funny that this happens now that he's ABB....

Very funny....:puke:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. Oh so coincidental!!!

NOT! :thumbsdown: :grr: :argh: :wtf:

[DBoon]

4. Suspended? So he will be back..

My guess is the suspension ends on November 10

[WLKjr]

5. It's all Savage could talk about last night

I think Mike Savage got his jollies by reminding the listeners that all Howard Stern says on the radio is "do you do oral or do you do anal?"
at which he proceeded to repeat the phrase over and over and over again for about 3 minutes with his right wing hate spewing voice that he has blasting anyone who has ever been on his show. Maybe he is just upset that he isnt good enough for Howard Stern, becuase this guy doesnt seem like the type you could have a decent conversation with or be around(anyone who has read his book,"the enemy within" will know what I am talking about with his assumption that a fat woman that cut him in line was automatically a flaming liberal becuase she had a tounge ring, so he spews for a chapter in his book about this woman and how he wants to flip out on her in the restuarant. Mind you, the coward that he was, never said a word to the woman who cut in front of him......)

And 'they' say we need morals and decency on the airwaves....Good job clear channel, if you censor one, you should censor all or not at all!

[Burma Jones]

6. Geez, haven't they learned

That which does not kill Howard, makes him stronger.


Of course, I miss Opie and Anthony..........

[Crachet2004]

7. He lost only ten percent through Clear Channel?

I would think that is just enough to piss him off...and it sounds like he was pissed at the GOP anyway!

Howard Stern is someone who can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Limbaugh for hearts and minds-and win. Reason: Howard is not a phony, hypocritical lying bastard-and they are!

I hadn't listened to him in years, but I'm gonna start...help get that ten% back.

[underpants]

8. We can't get his show in Richmond thanks to a local grocer

See Howard was on for about a month and the local grocery store behemoth Ukrop's came out and said that they would ask their customers to boycott anyone who bought ad time on the show. They disapproved of the content.

You may be saying to yourself, a grocery store? Well Ukrop's is Richmond owned and operated. The founder (Mr.Ukrop) started it from scratch and they hire a lot of mentally retarded and disabled people so you have to give them credit for that but.....

It is hard to describe the way Richmonders (the only other place Ukrop's has a store is Williamsburg) LOVE Ukrop's. It is like a matter of social status to shop there. It is a bit high priced and my wife had a hard time finding UNPREPARED food with which to cook but it is like Richmond's own exclusive club. Many people meet their mate in Ukrop's seriously. They also funded and basically owned the "black owned" local chain in my eye so they didn't have to put a Ukrop's in THOSE neighborhoods thus tarnishing the image, they have just changed the name and the whole store near VCU.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. Read this post regaurding UKROPS....

Ukrop's is a BIGTIME GOP donor.

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Ukrop&txtState=VA&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&Order=N

The Ukrop's also have a 51% stake in First Market Bank too.

If Ukrops wants to boycott the anti-Bush broadcasters, then I would
boycott Ukrops!

:argh:

If Stern repents his "sins" then I'm sure Ukrop would
drop their boycott of his advertisers.

[underpants]

13. W, Warner, Allen, Cantor, Every Republican is crucial PAC

McCain too. Barbara (I think the grand dame of the family) lists occupation as "Homemaker" uh huh she has dusted in 30 years I'd bet.

I don't shop at Ukrops.

[smiley_glad_hands]

15. I hate UKROPS---too expensive

So I don't shop there anyway.

[BR_Parkway]

10. If you don't toe the party line, you're slapped into oblivion

but the FCC won't do jack. They will let it look like CC is "cleaning up the airwaves" but not say a word about censorship and partisan.

I wonder if we all started complaining about the "obscenity" (isn't that defined by community standards) of OxyRush or Hannity, would they get pulled? Hell no, because they know how to be "good little journalists".

[GainesT1958]

11. So Cheap Channel only "had it" with "Hard"...

After he let Dub have it...and yet, in 1992, he let Poppy and the whole BFEE have it more than once. As I recall it went something like:

"I'm tired of all the praise heaped on George Bush and his son Neil Bush and his son Dubya Bush and his son Jeb Bush and his daughter, Fur Bush. To hell with all of you--F%*K YOU!!!"

--Which, of course, got his home station, K-Rock in NYC, a hefty fine from the FCC.x(

You know, I guess "Hard's" finally realizing--all over again--just what happens when you butt heads with the corporate, Repub-loving mega-media folks. He's also being reminded the "hard" way just how bad the BFEE still is. :puke:

He thought he got away from it back when he was booted out of WNBC, but nooooooo...they'll catch up to ya sooner or later! Though a lot of what he does disgusts me; on this--and on several other things--I'm right in there with him. I hope he tells Cheap Channel's execs where--and just how far up--they can STUFF IT with this move. And I hope he keeps giving the BFEE the same kind of hell he gave 'em the other day--AND back in '92!:D

:thumbsup: Howard--we're with you ALL THE WAY on this one! :7

B-)

[Skidmore]

12. I've never been a Howard Stern fan but I sure hope

that Congress, the Senate, and the idiots at the FCC hear from the same substantial bunch of people that called attention to why we don't want only one or two conglomerates owning all the media outlets.

[bluedog]

14. Florida also....

Clear Channel released statements from CEO and Tampa area vice president Dan DiLoreto, linking 's dismissal to the content of his show. By Tuesday morning, Clem's image had been removed from the Web site for WXTB-97.9 FM (98Rock) in Tampa, and music filled his show's 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. timeslot.

"Someone is going to be made the poster boy for bad behavior . . . and Clear Channel doesn't want it to be them," said , a former radio station owner who predicted the controversy could keep Clem's persona off the air for two years or more. "Bubba was on the public airwaves, at a time when kids were (listening). This is a battle for public behavior. . . . How do we present ourselves as a society in public?"

Notables such as then-gubernatorial candidate Jeb Bush, then- U.S. Senate candidate Charlie Crist and wrestler Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea have appeared on Clem's show. None commented on the firing Tuesday. Nationally syndicated radio personality Lionel (Mike LeBron), got to know Clem while working at WFLA-970 AM in the late '80s and early '90s. He suspected the FCC's threat of revoking broadcast licenses left Clear Channel little choice but to fire Clem.

****note....the republican candidates appeared on his radio show....that was to their advantage....now they don't need him any more....and yes he was way out there on some things..but he also came out strong AGAINST bush in the past few months....he had alot of adult listeners and they had to shut him up!!!

[tomreedtoon]

16. The clash of egos...

Stern, and the other "controversial" broadcasters now getting thrown off the air, always assumed that their conservative corporations would protect them as long as they were making money. They assumed that was enough to protect them.

But in an election year, it looks like the Bushies have started twisting the thumbscrews. They think they have a hot topic to win the election - "indecency" - so they're actually using the controls they've established when they entered office.

It's important to note that Stern only started broadcasting anti-Bush material when they started turning up the thumbscrews on him. For the longest time he did anti-Clinton stuff - and sex being his topic, there was a lot of Monica and cigars in it. He also firmly supported the war to "kill terrorists" and denied any other opinions.

I can't resist the temptation to say "I told you so" and smirk as he loses a substantial part of his radio audience, but unfortunately the censorship won't stop with him. It will undoubtedly take its toll on those Clear Channel people who aren't promoting the right wing agenda...the XM-syndicated "Monsters of the Midday" are probably next.

So it's the Ego of Stern versus the Ego of Robert Powell and the Bushies. Somehow, I'm reminded of the great battles between Godzilla and Mothra, and those other Japanese monster movies. The one fact that is never mentioned in those movies is that, no matter which monster is the "good guy," a lot of buildings and people get trampled in the process.

[Crachet2004]

17. You know, this is pissing me off...

Why is it ok for Mel Gibson to make a movie so graphically brutal that some people can't even stand to watch it-and good, christian people are exposing their kids to it! But shock jocks are being fired left and right (well, Left, anyway) for indecency?

Talk about a double standard. I've seen a few clips from the movie, and I don't care if it is about Christ, some sort of standard of "decency" ought to be applied here before the FCC goes ballistic over the admittedly sometimes juvenile humor of certain radio talk show hosts! The Christ in the "Movie" would have had to have been skinned alive on camera, to be any more brutal, graphic and violent than what it was! And eventually, children will see it!

And in Howard Stern's case, we all know it was mostly his political commentary, more than anything else that got him fired from Clear Channel! And the press isn't reporting it that way...just part of the "decency" issue, caused by Janet Jackson's breast. Bullshit!

I'll say one thing: If there is any free radio left in this country, they better get onboard ABB, because there may not be a tomorrow on this issue. They should ask themselves why freedom of speech is the FIRST amendmendment. Answer: It is the most important!

[Moderator]

18. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x385026

DU Moderator