By the broadcasters yes, but not by the government (FCC).
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By the broadcasters yes, but not by the government (FCC).
Hrmm... so here's a question: if the broadcasters or station decide to fire her, then is that not within their rights as per their agreement with her? I thought that the FCC was limited to imposing fines (and, from what I hear, they can be hefty if they add up).
At what point does her "Freedom of Expression" violate her contract with them? (and I wouldn't be suprised if they have a CYA clause just for this purpose).
[edit]
From the FCC website
So apparently this might not be considered 1st Amendement issue ..Quote:
Obscene speech is not protected by the First Amendment and cannot be broadcast at any time. To be obscene, material must meet a three-prong test:
* An average person, applying contemporary community standards, must find that the material, as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest;
* The material must depict or describe, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable law; and
* The material, taken as a whole, must lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
Dave, no, not by the FCC directly. But the FCC did have a huge impact on their choosing to get rid of him, since he racked up a couple of million dollars worth of fines for the company. I'm going to see if I can't find the article about it, so I can stop saying IIRC. :p
Okay...here are a couple of different links. The fine to Clear Channel was $495,000 and there was a fine to Infinity radio for $1.5 million.
link
link
Yes Howard stern was fired, not yanked by an outside agency. Besides he actually broke FCC rules over and over. The FCC would say "don't do that again Howard" and he would anyway. I don't think they have a rule against "Asian Parody's" I bet it's funny as hell, but I haven't heard it. If it was on Saturday Night live we would all laugh. How many "white guys have no ass" jokes have a endured by laughing at it? But I can't find fault in the local community wanting to voice their opinions via democracy Why do we always get worked up and demand someone to be fired. They didn't mislead anyone into blieving false documents and testimorny or break any rules governing radio stations. They were trying to be funny, and get this... they actually apologized. But if they want to force her termination as a community they should be able too, through pressure on the radio station by get this... changing the channel. It's their community and radio stations only broadcast around 60 miles so why the workup all over the internet? Oh and then don't come screeming down the road about freedom of speech when it's your ass on the chopping block and you write a satirical book or produce a satirical movie.
//EDIT WTF? There are racists, biggots, discrimination, reverse discrimination and guys who have a serious axe to grind, like did anyone read the angry asian man site?
//EDIT AGAIN. OK I looked at the lyrics, it's not funny but I don't see how it is any different than the stuff all over the music world. In fact to be very frank, if I tuned into a rap station, I would expect this line of lyrics. Who wouln't? I mean has anyone listened to rap? What is the big issue? An asian was pissed off? This same line of lyrics is repeated over and over all across the Hip Hop world of radio. I guess if they sung about crack whores it would be ok. And smacking up some bitch would also be ok. Oh and pimping my bitches sold into slavery for a fix... To be honest I was shocked it wasnt' some white conservative christian station considering the ripples on liberal media on this. I looked at their daily play list. Damn too bad no one cares about what their kids, 12 and older are listening too. That is their target market ya know.
Road, clear channel couldn't fire Howard, he wasn't there employee. all they did was to stop syndicating his show on some of their stations (interestingly not all of their stations)....no good old Howard did read the writing on the wall and watched the man who was his protector (and the man who hired him) leave CBS radio(Howard’s employer) for satellite...Howard was just the second rat to flee the sinking ship (in his eyes) of broadcast radio...for on hell of a pay package in the wide open airwaves of satellite (FCC can touch it).
I think it was the new rule change in the FCC that they will now fine not only the stations millions but also the personality that made Howard run. In my area it has our local shock jock Man Cow terrified
Let's see... on April 1, 1989 two DJ's in Norfolk, Virginia were banned from ever broadcasting again by the FCC for airing a false news report stating that 'trash hill' - a former dump filled in with earth and turned into a popular Virginia Beach park, was going to explode from methane buildup beneath the surface of the ground. The april fool's joke caused the evacuation of over 100,000 citizens and the mobilization of the Navy units stationed there... (I know this because my unit was one of the ones mobilized.)
Now we have a station airing *very* racist statements and a song which is, in the best light, in extremely poor taste. Anything for publicity I suppose. I suggest taking this morning show nobody and her cohorts and turning them loose amidst a large crowd of angry asians, with signs proclaiming what they've done. MsMittens has a point with her 3 prong test - and the particular clip I listened to failed miserably. Hang them. Hang them high. Use a new rope.
I listened to this clip:
http://students.washington.edu/jeesu...97_tsunami.mp3
You know, all these fines, are just ****ing stupid. The company who owned Howard Stern's Radio Station made way more than that just on the fact that people, in large amounts, listened to him JUST to see what he would say next.
Whooooo! a half a million dollar fine? Big deal I just made 3 million dollars by the same people making that lawsuit because THEY TO listen to him even if it DOES offend him. They don't lose money if someone listening doesn't like what he says, but they do gain money by these idiots listening to make sure of what he's saying.
This thread gives me an idea though, I'm going to grab a lawsuit on most rap artists for saying cracker, slave owner, honkey, nigger and bitch.
Hell if this bitch gets fired my peoplez will be set free y0, and then I be gettin' rich off these dumb niggaz.
Remember NWA? Everyone protested and what did that do? Give them a platinum ****ing album. **** I can't wait for a record deal, I'll piss people off so bad it'll make Eminem seem like a Republican, because you gotta buy my album to listen to it and bitch about it, and if you don't buy it and still bitch I'll send the ****ing RIAA after you saying you downloaded it without me saying it was OK just to whine about it. Buahahaha.
Gore does not give a **** what you think. By reading this post, you have just kissed my ass. Pucker up conservatives.
Mancow kicks the hell out of howard stern anyday but I cant believe you would call him a shock jock bballad. Yea some of his stuff is provocative but for the most part he just says what alot of us are thinking. He has mellowed out over the years. And for refernce I have been a listener since he was on 103.5 when it was the blaze. :)
I think the bottom line is that yes they have the right to say whatever they want as long as it doesnt violate FCC regulations but that doesnt mean they can disregard the feelings of the general public. She knew damned good and well what would happen before she played the song. ALL publicity is GOOD publicity. Cause there are just enough jack asses like me who will say "Well lets see whats so bad about these people before I make a judgement."
On the otherhand does she pull stunts like this ona regular basis or is it an isolated incident? If it is an isolated incident she should be reprimanded or punished in some way but would you like to loose your job over one screw up?
Well in the UK the broadcaster could be fined, but the firing would be for violating the broadcaster's code of conduct.
She would certainly be fired , far bigger fish have been toasted for far less over here. Kilroy-Silk for example. .............A sort of Oprah Winfrey type over here? One careless remark and he was out..............
EDIT: we have standards you might find strange; you can take the piss out of sports personalities, politicians, even the Royal Family but racial and religious prejudice is a definite no,no.
ZomBieMann77: sure he’s mellowed but I still miss Erma...can't stand the new token girl. the problem morning guys like stern and mancow and this lady faces is twofold. There target audience is basically drive time 18-40 year old males, but because they are on in the am there shows must be basically rated G or the FCC comes and gets them. You are correct in saying as long as they don't violate FCC regulations they are fine, unfortunately FCC regulations are so nebulous that they basically brake down to "If Focus on the Family complained about it its obscene". They have no definition of what is obscene and as a federal regulatory board having unclear definitions is a bad thing.
While I fell that the airwaves should be free and open for anyone’s use (and no regulations would lead to those of us who enjoy the ham and open fm spectrums SOL) perhaps its time to move to satellite and cable and screw the FCC.